LA Times Today: Inside the high-stakes clandestine poker world that led to a Hollywood Hills murder

Aug. 26, 2025 8 AM PT

The murder of a 39-year-old Israeli man in the Hollywood hills has exposed an underground world of high-stakes poker games catering to an elite crowd.

Prosecutors say the man was shot outside a mansion after an exclusive game attended by organized crime figures, wealthy gamblers and even former NBA star Gilbert Arenas.

L.A. Times reporter Matthew Ormseth wrote about the sprawling, illegal gambling operation and its deadly consequences.