Boosie Badazz has come to the defense of Gilbert Arenas after authorities arrested the former NBA star for his role in an alleged illegal gambling business on Wednesday. The indictment claims he rented out his mansion in Encino to hold high-stakes card games.
"THIS GIRBERT ARENAS CHARGE IS BULLSH*T," Boosie wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "HE SET A POKER GAME AT HIS SPOT N WON OFF THE HANDS PLAYED. WTF. THATS THE SAME AS A GETTING A CUT OFF A DICE GAME THATS AT YOUR HOME N TO MILLIONAIRES THATS A CLEANING FEE. YOU KNOW HOW MANY SUCCESSFUL ATHLETES, RAPPERS, COACHES, BUIZNESS MEN N WOMEN CALL THEY FRIENDS OVER TO F*CKING GAMBLE. THESE R X PROFESSIONALS WHO ENJOY GAMBLING AS A HOBBY. THIS BEEN GOING ON SINCE THE EARLY 1900s."
He continued: "THIS IS ANOTHER TACTIC TO TAKE 'US' DOWN. N IM NOT RACIST BUT THEY NOT GO LOCK UP A WHITE ATHLETE / ENTERTAINER UP FOR PLAYIN POKER AT HIS DAM HOUSE WITH HIS MILLIONAIRE FRIENDS 'HIS NAME WAS ON THE POKER TABLE' GTFOH THEM BE HOUSE DECORATIONS. EVERY POKER TABLE IVE SAW AT A HOUSE HAD THEY LOGO R NAME ON IT #facts #fightthisbro."
Police detained Arenas in Southern California on Wednesday. By that night, he paid his bail and was able to get out of jail. Sharing a video of himself leaving the courthouse on Instagram, he wrote in the caption: "Im Back on the Block like its HOT. This aint got shyt to do with me 'just rented the house.' Wasnt apart of the Festivities. #SnitchingGilComingSOON #51-0 the mayweather of court."
Gilbert Arenas Case
The indictment alleges that the card games took place from September 2021 to July 2022. "At Arenas’ direction, Arthur Kats, 51, of West Hollywood, staged the mansion to host the games, found co-conspirators to host the games, and collected rent from the co-conspirators on Arenas’ behalf," a press release from the Justice Department alleges.
Altogether, authorities are charging Arenas with one count of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, one count of operating an illegal gambling business, and one count of making false statements to federal investigators. If convicted, he will face upwards of five years in federal prison for each count.
