Hollywood whistleblower RJ Cipriani claims he recently tried to alert ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith about former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas, but Smith says the conversation never happened the way Cipriani described.
Cipriani, who previously made headlines over his legal dispute involving former Paramount president Jeff Shell, said he approached Smith at the Peninsula hotel in Beverly Hills to discuss the federal investigation involving Arenas.
“I told him that the New York feds are investigating Arenas and his connection to organized crime, and I thought he would be interested,” Cipriani told Page Six Hollywood.
“But he said it would seem like he was ratting on someone. I said, ‘You know, you are a journalist and should look into it. That’s what journalists do.’”
Smith denied the claim.
“This is a flat-out lie. I said nothing but exchange pleasantries when he came over to introduce himself while I was with one of my boys – who will not hesitate to confirm this if necessary,” Smith said. “That is all I have to say about this nonsense.”
The investigation itself is already public. Federal prosecutors previously charged Arenas in connection with alleged high-stakes illegal poker games at his Encino mansion.
Arenas has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to stand trial in November.
After his arrest last year, Arenas’ attorney stressed that his client is presumed innocent, saying, “At this point in the case, he is presumed innocent, right… He has the same right as any other citizen to that presumption and that’s how he should be treated.”
High-stakes gambler who took down Jeff Shell says he has given ‘bombshell’ story on ex-NBA star Gilbert Arenas to Stephen A Smith https://t.co/2Rt3RPJ6Ku pic.twitter.com/d2eZP0NdDv
— New York Post (@nypost) July 23, 2026
