Chalien Dantes/Contributor

Former NBA standout Gilbert Arenas found himself in legal trouble Wednesday (July 30) after federal authorities accused him of running an underground gambling ring out of his southern California mansion.

According to court documents, Arenas, best known for his high-scoring days with the Washington Wizards, allegedly rented out his Encino home for high-stakes poker games between September 2021 and July 2022.

Prosecutors claim the 43-year-old hired a 51-year-old associate to help set up the games and collect fees from players.

The operation reportedly went all out to attract big spenders: female servers, private chefs, valet parking, and even security were allegedly part of the package. Authorities say Arenas and five co-defendants took a cut from each pot, profiting off the illegal games. Now, Arenas faces serious consequences. He’s been hit with two federal charges, conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business and actually running one, each carrying a possible five-year prison sentence if convicted. On top of that, he’s accused of lying to investigators during the probe.

Arenas is expected to make his first court appearance later Wednesday. Once a fan favourite for his style of play and big personality, he now finds himself in a very different kind of spotlight.