Sawt Falasteen - Ex-NBA player Damon Jones pleads guilty in gambling probe

Jones, 49, admitted two counts of wire fraud conspiracy in two separate cases: one in which he provided insider information to bettors, and another that involved illegal rigged poker games.

"As shown by his guilty pleas today, Damon Jones converted his fame and ties to professional basketball into a multi-faceted criminal betting operation," said US Attorney Joseph Nocella.

The first case centered on Jones using information on injuries and game absences between December 2022 and March 2024 to profit from illegal betting activity.

In one instance, he shared that star LeBron James would not play due to injury in a Los Angeles Lakers game against the Milwaukee Bucks before that information was made public.

He is the first of six defendants to plead guilty in that case, which includes Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier.

Federal prosecutors plan to bring further charges against Rozier, alleging that he "solicited and accepted a bribe," The New York Times reported.

The second case involved a national network of mafia-linked rigged poker games.

Prosecutors say around 30 people participated in the scheme, which used highly sophisticated cheating equipment including X-ray tables, and Jones used his fame to lure in victims.

Jones initially denied the charges but switched his plea at two back-to-back hearings in New York on Tuesday. Sentencing is scheduled for January 2027.

"I would like to sincerely apologize to the court, my family, my peers and also the National Basketball Association," he said during the first hearing, according to US media.

Jones had a modest playing career across 11 different teams, notably the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2005 to 2008, where he played alongside four-time NBA champion James.

He later became an assistant coach, working again for the Cavaliers from 2016 to 2018 during James's second stint in Ohio.

Jones served as James's personal coach during the 2022–2023 season after the star joined the Lakers, without being employed by the team.

M.AbuKhalil--SF-PST