On April 28, former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud connected to an illegal gambling scheme that involved more than 30 arrests. During a hearing before the U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Marutollo, Jones revealed that he had provided insider information to bettors who used it to
On April 28, former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud connected to an illegal gambling scheme that involved more than 30 arrests.
During a hearing before the U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Marutollo, Jones revealed that he had provided insider information to bettors who used it to defraud multiple betting companies, and he was paid for participating in poker games that he knew were rigged.
U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Joseph Nocella Jr, stated:
“As shown by his guilty pleas today, Damon Jones converted his fame and ties to professional basketball into a multi-faceted criminal betting operation. Jones will now face the consequences for his corrupt conduct. Insider betting and rigged poker schemes erode the integrity of American sports and fair contests.”
The ex-NBA player is scheduled to be sentenced in January 2027, with his charges being subject to a 21-27 month prison term for the sports betting case and a punishment of 63-78 months for the poker games case.
Jones said during the hearing:
“I would like to sincerely apologize to the court, my family, my peers, and also the National Basketball Association. I knew these games were rigged and that players were being cheated. I’m really sorry to everyone involved for my actions.”
The poker games scheme involved over 10 victims and led to the players losing more than $9.5 million, with Jones also agreeing to pay a $73,000 penalty for both charges.