Former NBA player Gilbert Arenas was taken into custody on Wednesday alongside five others for allegedly orchestrating illegal poker games, as announced by the U.S. Justice Department.

Arenas (43), known for his time with the Washington Wizards, reportedly used a luxury mansion he owns in Los Angeles as the venue for high-stakes poker games from September 2021 to July 2022, according to an indictment made public in Los Angeles.

Included among the arrested individuals is Israeli national Yevgeny Gershman, who U.S. authorities claim has ties to organized crime.

Having participated in the NBA All-Star Game three times, Arenas played at the highest level of basketball until 2012, after which he spent a season with the Shanghai Sharks in China.

He faces three indictments, one of which is for organizing illegal gambling, with a potential sentence of up to five years for each count.

During a federal court appearance in Los Angeles on Wednesday afternoon, Arenas pleaded not guilty and was released on a $50,000 bail. His trial is set for September 23.

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