Damon Jones, a former NBA player who once earned over $20 million across 11 seasons with 10 teams, entered a guilty plea Tuesday to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, becoming the first person to admit wrongdoing in a sprawling gambling investigation that has ensnared more than 30 people, including organized crime figures and basketball personalities.
The 49-year-old apologized in Brooklyn federal court, acknowledging that he conspired to defraud sports betting companies by leveraging insider knowledge he gained from his relationships within professional basketball. "I would like to sincerely apologize to the court, my family, my peers and also the National Basketball Association," Jones said during a prepared statement.
Prosecutors detailed how Jones sold or attempted to sell nonpublic injury information to sports bettors between December 2022 and March 2024. He disclosed that LeBron James and former Lakers forward Anthony Davis were injured and would be unavailable or limited in certain games, giving bettors an edge. Jones acknowledged his conduct violated the NBA's code of conduct and breached the terms of service agreements with sports betting websites.
Federal sentencing guidelines for conspiracy to commit wire fraud carry a maximum penalty of 27 months in prison. Jones is scheduled for sentencing on January 6, 2027. He also agreed to forfeit $35,000 and faces strict bail conditions, including a prohibition on gambling, contact with organized crime figures, and restrictions on bank transfers exceeding $10,000 without court approval.
The case against Jones extends beyond the betting scheme. He was also arrested last October on separate charges involving rigged poker games, where prosecutors allege he was paid $2,500 to participate in a Hamptons game that used altered shuffling machines, hidden cameras, special sunglasses, and X-ray equipment embedded in the table to cheat unwitting gamblers. Court filings indicate Jones was among three defendants charged in both the poker and sports betting conspiracies.
Jones served as an unofficial assistant coach with LeBron James's Los Angeles Lakers during the 2022-2023 season. The two had previously played together in Cleveland from 2005 to 2008. His guilty plea stands in stark contrast to the other high-profile defendants in the case, none of whom have indicated willingness to accept responsibility. Former Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier faces additional charges being pursued by prosecutors, while Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups remains among those arrested in the investigation.
Jones is expected to plead guilty again Tuesday to the separate poker scheme charges.
Author James Rodriguez: "A five-time NBA All-Star assistant and $20 million earner throwing it all away for insider betting scams and rigged poker tables,this is a stunning fall that shows how deep the sports gambling problem runs in professional basketball."
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