Ex-NBA Player Damon Jones Pleads Not Guilty in Alleged Betting and Poker Schemes
Former NBA guard Damon Jones pleaded not guilty Thursday to federal charges tied to alleged insider injury tips and rigged poker games.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:Jones, 49, appeared at back-to-back arraignments in federal court in Brooklyn where his court-appointed lawyer entered not guilty pleas on his behalf to counts of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. The appearances stem from a broad federal enforcement action last month that targeted what prosecutors described as sprawling gambling operations involving more than 30 people, including purported organized‑crime figures and well-known basketball personalities.
Under the terms of his release, Jones will remain free on a $200,000 bond secured by his mother and stepfather’s Texas home. His travel is limited to parts of Texas and New York City, and he was permitted to keep his passport for identification until he obtains a REAL ID, his attorney said. Jones acknowledged that he had read the indictments and understood the charges and bail conditions; the defense advised the court that plea discussions may be ongoing. A preliminary conference with co-defendants is set for Nov. 24.
Prosecutors allege two distinct schemes. In one, investigators say Jones sold or attempted to sell non-public injury information about Los Angeles Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis to sports bettors. According to the indictment, Jones texted an unnamed co-conspirator before a Feb. 9, 2023, game against the Milwaukee Bucks: "Get a big bet on Milwaukee tonight before the information is out". James was not on the Lakers’ injury report at the time but was later declared out, and the Lakers lost 115-106, prosecutors said.
In a separate incident cited by prosecutors, sports bettor Marves Fairley is accused of paying Jones roughly $2,500 on Jan. 15, 2024, for a tip that Davis would have limited minutes against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Fairley allegedly wagered $100,000 on the Thunder; the tip proved incorrect, with Davis logging 27 points and 15 rebounds in a 112-105 Lakers victory. Fairley also pleaded not guilty Thursday, according to court filings.
The other strand of the indictment concerns high-stakes poker games prosecutors say were rigged using altered shuffling machines, hidden cameras, specialty eyewear and, at times, sophisticated table equipment. Jones is accused of participating in games intended to draw in unwitting players and described in court documents as paying close attention to other members of the scheme; prosecutors say he was paid about $2,500 for one Hamptons game and was instructed to fold when uncertain. The indictment alleges proceeds were tied to New York crime families and that members used violence, extortion and robbery to protect the operation.
Jones’s background makes the allegations striking. A Galveston, Texas, native and University of Houston alumnus, he played 11 NBA seasons from 1999 to 2009 for 10 teams, earning more than $20 million in career earnings. He was a Cleveland teammate of LeBron James from 2005 to 2008, later worked for the Cavaliers as a shooting consultant and was part of the coaching staff when the team won the 2016 NBA title. He also served in an unofficial role with the Lakers during the 2022-23 season.
Related: NBA Faces Congressional Scrutiny Over Betting Scandals
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A former federal prosecutor who reviewed the indictment said: "The government will focus on communications and financial transactions that show a pattern of knowingly selling material, non-public information and laundering proceeds from those sales. If they can link messages, payments and bets with intent, prosecutors have a pathway to conviction; defenses typically attack either intent or the reliability of the alleged confidential source."
Jones and the other defendants, including notable figures arrested in the sweep such as Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier, now face the slower cadence of federal litigation: discovery, pretrial motions and potential plea negotiations. The next court date on Nov. 24 will assemble the parties and set a schedule for moving forward.
As the case progresses, prosecutors will need to balance digital evidence – texts and transaction records – with testimony from co-conspirators and witnesses drawn from both the sports and organized-crime worlds. Defense teams are likely to challenge the credibility of cooperating witnesses and the reliability of any technical evidence about the poker operations.
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