Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas indicted in illegal gambling scheme with suspected criminal figures, DOJ says

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Gilbert Arenas, who spent more than a decade in the NBA, was taken into custody Wednesday. 

The Department of Justice accused the former basketball star of operating an illegal gambling ring from a home he owned in Southern California.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released on $50,000 bond.

A federal indictment obtained by Fox News Digital showed Arenas was charged with one count of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, one count of operating an illegal gambling business and another count of making false statements to federal investigators.

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Former NBA player Gilbert Arenas attends a game between the Arizona Wildcats and the Duke Blue Devils at McKale Center Nov. 22, 2024, in Tucson, Ariz. (Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

Arenas, nicknamed "Agent Zero," is suspected of renting a property in Encino, California, for the purpose of hosting high-stakes poker games, according to the Justice Department. 

The federal indictment was filed in Los Angeles. According to the document, Arenas is accused of instructing Arthur Kats to stage illegal games. Kats allegedly handled rental payments for other individuals who were also believed to have had a role in the operation. Officials said they obtained text messages believed to show conversations between Arenas and Kats about details of the games in question.

The Washington Wizards' Gilbert Arenas during a game against the Phoenix Suns in Washington, D.C. (Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

One of the defendants, Ievgen Krachun, was identified as the person who oversaw the gambling as it was allegedly being