Ex-NBA player Damon Jones set to plead guilty in gambling sweep
Former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones is facing charges for his involvement in rigged poker games and providing sports bettors with insider injury information about players like LeBron James. Jones is expected to plead guilty to at least one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in a Brooklyn federal court.
Jones, 49, had previously pleaded not guilty to charges of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. The maximum punishment for these charges is 20 years in prison. Jones was arrested last October along with former NBA player Terry Rozier, Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, and others involved in the gambling sweep.
Prosecutors allege that Jones sold nonpublic information to bettors about injuries to players like LeBron James and Anthony Davis. In addition to the sports betting scheme, Jones was also implicated in a rigged poker game operation. He was allegedly paid to cheat in poker games using altered shuffling machines, hidden cameras, special sunglasses, and even X-ray equipment built into the table.
Jones, who earned over $20 million during his 11-year NBA career, played alongside LeBron James in Cleveland and later served as an unofficial assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers. Prosecutors claim that Jones was involved in both the poker and sports betting schemes, making him a key figure in the ongoing investigation.
As the first person expected to plead guilty in the gambling sweep, Jones’s case is a significant development in the investigation. The other defendants have not shown a willingness to plead guilty, with prosecutors seeking additional charges against Rozier in the betting case. Jones is set to appear in court for plea change hearings, where he will likely admit to his role in the wire fraud conspiracy.
Overall, Jones’s guilty plea marks a pivotal moment in the investigation into rigged poker games and illegal sports betting activities involving former NBA players and coaches. The outcome of his case could have far-reaching implications for others implicated in the scheme.
