Former NBA player Gilbert Arenas tap danced on the courthouse steps after he was released on bond on Wednesday. Federal prosecutors indicted Arenas for running an illegal gambling ring in California.
Arenas pleaded not guilty to the charges during his arraignment on Wednesday afternoon and he was released on $50,000 bond.
Video footage shows Arenas dancing on the steps of the federal courthouse while wearing shorts, a black T-shirt and sandals – the clothes he was arrested in on Wednesday morning.
A woman recording the video yelled “Free!” before telling Arenas “You’d better not.”
“Can’t hold me, baby. They can’t hold me,” Arenas told the woman, who is likely his wife, social media influencer Melli Monaco.
Im Back on the Streets ??This aint got shyt to do with me ' just rented the house' Wasnt apart pic.twitter.com/ALjozzhzoY
— Gilbert Arenas (@NoChillGilZero) July 31, 2025
According to the federal indictment, Arenas and 4 others hosted an illegal gambling ring from September 2021 through July 2022.
Arenas rented out his Encino mansion for the purpose of hosting high-stakes illegal poker games with four others, including Yevgeni Gershman, described by the indictment as an Israeli crime figure.
Gershman, 49, hired bottle service girls to serve drinks and give the high-value gamblers massages. The women were required to give back a portion of their tips to Arenas and Gershman.
Chefs, valets and armed security guards were also hired to staff the poker games, according to the federal indictment.
Arenas and his accomplices face up to 5 years in federal prison on each count.
A trial date is set for late September.
The federal government has a 90% conviction rate. They usually don’t indict unless they have enough evidence to convict.
