A suspected Israeli organized-crime figure has taken a plea deal in a federal probe that accuses him of helping run high-stakes illegal poker games out of a luxury Encino mansion owned by former NBA star Gilbert Arenas. Prosecutors say the setup turned a private home into something closer to a small casino, complete with dealers, security, chefs, and other staff. What began as a sweeping case against several alleged ring managers now has its first defendant agreeing to resolve his counts while other charges remain pending in federal court.
Yevgeni Gershman, 50, of Woodland Hills, has agreed to plead guilty to four federal counts - conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, money laundering, immigration fraud, and being a prohibited person in possession of firearms - under terms laid out in a plea agreement. According to the Los Angeles Times, the deal calls for a 24-month prison term, three years of supervised release, and a $50,000 fine.
How prosecutors say the Encino operation worked
Federal court documents say the games were held at a residence on Gable Drive in Encino from September 2021 through July 2022, where hosts ran Pot-Limit Omaha and other high-stakes games and took a “rake,” a fee from each pot, as the indictment describes. The filing details an allegedly staffed operation that hired dealers, valets, chefs, and armed guards and charged women who served players a percentage of their tips. The documents also cite text messages and images of custom poker tables labeled with Arenas’ name. The indictment lays out the timeline and overt acts.
What Gershman's plea means
Gershman’s plea carries immigration consequences that the agreement says make deportation “practically inevitable,” and his sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 6, according to the Los Angeles Times. The plea resolves only Gershman’s counts. The other defendants, including Arenas and several alleged operation managers, remain charged and have pleaded not guilty, as ABC7 reported.
Who investigated the case?
The investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations, the Los Angeles Police Department’s Transnational Organized Crime Section, and IRS Criminal Investigation, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The Justice Department press release announcing the arrests lists Gershman, Evgenni Tourevski, Allan Austria, Yarin Cohen, and Ievgen Krachun among those charged alongside Arenas. The U.S. Attorney’s Office provides the names, allegations, and the agencies that worked the case.
The plea marks a concrete move in a case that has drawn national attention and renewed scrutiny of private underground poker operations in Los Angeles. National outlets covered the arrests and indictment when they were unsealed last summer, underscoring how the investigation reached into celebrity circles. AP News covered the original arrests in July 2025.
