Former NBA player Gilbert Arenas said he has no intention of serving jail time after being arrested this week for allegedly running an illegal gambling ring at his Los Angeles mansion.
Speaking on a Facebook livestream on Thursday night, Arenas said: “Good luck in court. I’m pretty sure I ain’t gonna be there, cause, yeah, man, I’m snitching.
“Ain’t nothing wrong with snitching, man. It ain’t nothing wrong with just telling, man. Ain’t nothing wrong with telling, man. Especially when you got a fine-ass girl at home.”
Arenas was arrested on Wednesday along with five others, including Yevgeni Gershman, who the US Department of Justice (DOJ) identified as a “suspected organized crime figure from Israel.”
In a DOJ statement, Gershman appears to face the most charges. In addition to managing the illegal poker games, he is said to have “hired young women who, in exchange for tips, served drinks, provided massages, and offered companionship to the poker players.”
The statement goes on to say that Gershman, also known as Giora, is charged “with three additional counts – conspiracy to commit marriage fraud, marriage fraud, and making a false statement on an immigration document.”
His wife, Valentina Cojocari, was also arrested over claims she entered a sham marriage with Gershman.
The DOJ states: “In early 2022, Gershman conspired with Cojocari to enter into a sham marriage for the purposes of obtaining permanent legal status in the United States and lied to immigration authorities to procure legal status for Gershman, who provided financial support to Cojocari in exchange for her participation in the sham marriage.”
In the livestream, Arenas went on to admit to having two passports, which can serve as another means of escaping jail time.
“You gotta have two…”, Arenas declared. “You think I’m dumb?”
Arenas was previously convicted on one felony count of carrying an unlicensed pistol in 2009. He was sentenced to two years of probation, 30 days in a halfway house, 400 hours of community service, and a $5,000 fine.
In the incident, detailed in an Untold documentary on Netflix, Arenas is said to have pulled an unloaded gun on teammate Javaris Crittenton in the Washington Wizards locker room following a dispute over a card game.
The NBA suspended him without pay for the rest of the 2009–10 season.
Arenas has publicly admitted he struggled with life after his NBA career ended. Arenas stated: “Like any athlete, from the ages of 6, 7 years old, all we knew was one thing. Hoop school. Summer hoop play…All I knew was basketball.”
He described the transition as “miserable” despite earning $163.4 million over the course of his career.
In 2018, he started “The No Chill Podcast” and has gone on to be a successful sports media personality. Arena subsequently launched “Gil’s Arena,” a highly successful podcast sponsored by DFS and sports betting operator Underdog.
His livestream on Thursday suggests he will look to continue his media career at any cost. Arenas is due to appear in court on September 23, but after his comments, may well be trying to make a plea bargain before then.
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