Former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones is expected to become the first person to plead guilty in a sweeping gambling investigation that led to the arrests of over 30 individuals, including alleged mobsters and other basketball figures. A change-of-plea hearing for Jones is scheduled for April 28 in Brooklyn federal court, moved from an original date of May 6 at the request of the parties involved. Jones, 49, had previously pleaded not guilty to indictments charging him with profiting from rigged poker games and providing sports bettors with non-public injury information about stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Jones faces charges in both cases for wire fraud conspiracy and money-laundering conspiracy. His lawyer, Kenneth Montgomery, indicated during arraignments in November that they "may be engaging in plea negotiations," with a message left for comment remaining unanswered. The investigation, which has ensnared high-profile names such as Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, highlights deep-seated issues within professional sports regarding insider information and illegal gambling ties.
According to prosecutors, Jones sold or attempted to sell confidential information that James was injured and would not play in a February 9, 2023, game against the Milwaukee Bucks, texting a co-conspirator: "Get a big bet on Milwaukee tonight before the information is out." James was not listed on the injury report at the time but was later ruled out due to a lower-body injury, with the Lakers losing 115-106. In another instance, on January 15, 2024, sports bettor Marves Fairley paid Jones approximately $2,500 for a tip that Davis would have limited playing time, leading to a $100,000 bet on the Oklahoma City Thunder that backfired when Davis played normally, resulting in a demand for a refund.
In the poker scheme, Jones allegedly participated in rigged games using altered shuffling machines, hidden cameras, special sunglasses, and X-ray equipment built into tables, often linked to New York crime families like the Gambino, Genovese, and Bonnano. Prosecutors claim these families required a share of proceeds and committed violent acts such as assault, extortion, and robbery to enforce debts and sustain operations. Jones reportedly received $2,500 for a game in the Hamptons where he was instructed to cheat, responding with a confident text: "y’all know I know what I’m doing!!"
A native of Galveston, Texas, Jones earned over $20 million during his 11-season NBA career from 1999 to 2009, playing for 10 teams and famously proclaiming himself "the best shooter in the world." He was a teammate of James in Cleveland from 2005 to 2008 and served as an unofficial assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2022-2023 season. Post-retirement, he worked as a shooting consultant for the Cavaliers and was an assistant coach when the team, led by James, won the NBA championship in 2016. Jones remains free on bail as legal proceedings continue.
Source: www.aljazeera.com