Man with links to Israeli organized crime pleads guilty in L.A. high-stakes poker ring case

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 05:40:00 +0200

Yevgeni Gershman, a 50-year-old resident of Woodland Hills with prior criminal convictions in Israel, has agreed to plead guilty to four federal charges for his role in an illegal high-stakes poker ring operated from an Encino mansion once owned by former NBA star Gilbert Arenas. Federal prosecutors said the charges include conspiracy to run an illegal gambling business, immigration fraud, money laundering, and possession of firearms by a prohibited person. As part of his plea agreement, Gershman faces a likely sentence of 24 months in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and a $50,000 fine. His sentencing is scheduled for July 6 in Los Angeles.

According to court documents, Gershman was a central organizer in the poker operation that took place between September 2021 and July 2022. The Encino mansion was regularly rented out to host card games, where organizers took a percentage of each pot, known as a 'rake.' Co-conspirators allegedly managed the logistics, recruiting