Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas was arrested on Wednesday with five others, including an alleged member of an Israeli organized crime syndicate, for allegedly running illegal high-stakes poker games at his Los Angeles mansion, as reported by federal prosecutors.

All six individuals face charges for conspiracy to manage illegal gambling operations and for operating such businesses. They are set for arraignment later on Wednesday.

Messages were sent seeking comments to an attorney and PR firm representing Arenas. There’s no listed attorney for him in court records.

At 43, Arenas is also accused of providing false statements to federal investigators. He is referred to in the indictment as ‘Agent Zero,’ reflecting his nickname during his tenure with the Washington Wizards.

The co-defendants, aged between 27 to 52 and based in Los Angeles, include a 49-year-old man believed to be an organized crime figure from Israel.

His attorney, Jerome Friedberg, remarked outside the courthouse that he had limited communication with Arenas and thus could not comment on the situation:

“At this point in the case, he is presumed innocent, right? He has the same right as any other citizen to that presumption and that’s how he should be treated.”

The indictment states that between September 2021 and July 2022, the group set up gambling activities in their home, featuring ‘Pot Limit Omaha’ poker games and demanding a ‘rake’ from players, as per the court documents.

In addition, one of the co-defendants allegedly employed women to serve drinks, provide massages, and offer companionship in return for tips, while imposing a ’tax’ on their earnings from these events. Chefs, valets, and armed guards were involved in these illegal games.

The Israeli co-defendant faces additional allegations, such as marriage fraud and falsifying immigration documents related to a sham marriage with a 35-year-old woman in Los Angeles for the sake of obtaining permanent status in the U.S.

If convicted, the defendants could face five years in federal prison for each count.

Arenas, who averaged 20.7 points over an 11-season career with several teams, most notably during his substantial period in Washington from 2004 to 2011, was a three-time All-Star, recognized as a top scorer and crucial part of a few successful Wizards squads in the mid-to-late 2000s.

However, his time in Washington concluded with controversy following a 2010 locker-room incident with teammate Javaris Crittenton, resulting in a season suspension for both.

Afterward, he briefly returned to the court only to be traded to Orlando, later playing for Memphis in 2011, before concluding his career in the CBA in 2012-13 without a return to the NBA.

His son, Alijah Arenas, a notable high school basketball player in Los Angeles, is now a highly rated freshman at the University of Southern California, but his college progress is currently paused due to knee surgery, which is expected to require months of rehabilitation.