"Can't use my name to put a case out there" - Gilbert Arenas contemplates defamation lawsuit against federal officials over gambling charges

Gilbert Arenas has frequently made headlines for his off-court activities since his NBA days. The former Warriors guard was back in the spotlight in July after being arrested alongside members of an Israeli organized crime group for allegedly running illegal poker games.

During an appearance on Vlad TV on Tuesday, Arenas discussed his gambling charges with host DJ Vlad, while offering his views on the indictment.

"Can I ask you something, Vlad? You live in Hollywood. You've heard of poker games," Arenas said. "(The) Israelis would they have someone like me in their group?"

Continuing to speak on the subject, Arenas further explained his case before claiming he was contemplating a defamation lawsuit against federal officials.

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"I'm the mark at a table. Hence why I don't know him because I've never been to one of their games. I don't play poker like that. Like it's weird," Arenas explained (Timestamp: 0:55 onwards). "I'm wondering if there's defamation because of how you're making it seem. I don't think that's fair. You can't use my name to put a case out there with these types of claims. At the end of this, I should be able to sue for defamation."

However, Arenas quickly backed down on the idea of suing for defamation, joking that it was the government and they could do whatever "they wanted to do."

"But it is the government. It is the government (and) they can do what the f*ck they want to do," he continued. (Timestamp: 1:48 onwards)

The jury is still deliberating on the indictment, and although Arenas maintains his innocence, he could face up to five years in prison for each felony charge if all allegations are proven.

Gilbert Arenas shares hilarious details of his arrest over gambling charges: "Thought they were ICE."

Former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas opened up about his arrest in July over gambling charges. The guard was indicted for running illegal poker games from his mansion in Los Angeles, leading to his arrest.

Although a serious charge, Arenas recalled the hilarious details of his detention in an interview.

" I go on the balcony, and there are f**king guns aimed at me," Arenas recalled. "Then, they started putting handcuffs on me, and I said, ‘No, I’m American’. That’s all I remember saying. We thought they were ICE."

According to Arenas, he had no idea why he was arrested and spent a few hours in jail before his lawyer informed him of the details when getting him out.

Edited by Arian Kashyap