Damon Jones became the first person to plead guilty in two major, and related, gambling cases — one involving the NBA and the other centered around allegedly mafia-run fixed poker games.
The former Cleveland Cavaliers star, 49, appeared in Brooklyn federal court on Tuesday (Apr. 28) in front of Magistrate Judge Joseph Marutollo to plead guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. One was for being part of a conspiracy to place bets on NBA games using non-public information that he obtained as a result of his connections with people in the league.
The second was for a separate case, known as Operation Royal Flush, where Jones admitted to playing the role of a “face card” — a high-profile person meant to draw players in — in fixed poker games allegedly controlled by numerous Mafia families. Several people, including Jones, are charged in both cases.
Jones, represented by his attorney Kenneth Montgomery (familiar to Complex readers from his work representing Bobby Shmurda and Taxstone, among others), admitted in the NBA case that he had entered into a conspiracy to “defraud betting platforms” using “inside information I obtained as a result of my relationships” within the league.
“I would like to sincerely apologize to the court, my peers, my family, and also the National Basketball Association,” Jones continued.
In that case, he agreed to a recommended sentence of between 21-27 months of imprisonment, though the final number will be determined at his sentencing in January. He also agreed not to appeal if his sentence is 30 months or less. The maximum sentence he could face on that charge is 20 years. Jones also agreed to pay $35,000 in forfeiture.
Among the games Jones for which illegally passed on information to a network of bettors, according to prosecutors, was a January 2024 one in which he allegedly learned that a top Lakers player—identified in reports as LeBron James—was injured. James is not accused of any wrongdoing. Jones was not with the Lakers in any official role at that point, but had been a sort of unofficial assistant coach for the team during the 2022-23 season, and had a relationship with James dating back to their days as teammates in Cleveland.
For the poker case in which Jones admitted to knowing the games were rigged, he copped to participating in three illegal games. Two took place in Miami in 2020, and one was in Easthampton in the fall of 2023.
“I knew these games were rigged,” Jones told the court. “My role in the conspiracy, I was compensated for playing in these games.”
In that case, Jones agreed to a recommended sentence of between 48 and 63 months, and also agreed not to appeal if the final sentence is 87 months or below. As with the prior case, the final sentence will be determined in January, and the maximum is 20 years. He also agreed to pay no less than $38,000 in forfeiture, with the final amount to be determined at sentencing. For more about how federal sentencing guidelines work, read our breakdown of the system written during the Diddy case.
“As shown by his guilty pleas today, Damon Jones converted his fame and ties to professional basketball into a multi-faceted criminal betting operation. He used private locker room and medical information from multiple NBA teams to cheat legitimate sportsbooks. He also, separately, lured unsuspecting victims to high-stakes rigged poker games,” stated Joseph Nocella Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
“Jones will now face the consequences for his corrupt conduct. Insider betting and rigged poker schemes erode the integrity of American sports and fair contest. This Office will continue in its strong tradition of holding accountable anyone who seeks to profit through fraud and corruption,” he continued.
“Former NBA player Damon Jones admitted to exploiting his profession and fame to help others cheat in two separate rigged betting schemes. With our federal and local law enforcement partners, the FBI continues to hold accountable those who threaten the integrity of American sports,” stated James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI).
NYPD commissioner Jessica Tisch also weighed in, saying: “The defendant in this case traded his reputation for greed and fraud. By exploiting his access to the NBA, and rigging illegal poker games across the country, Damon Jones attempted to orchestrate a scheme that defrauded victims of millions of dollars. Thanks to our investigators, law enforcement partners, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, we are upholding the integrity of the game and ensuring accountability for those who break the law and betray the public’s trust.”
Jones will be free on a $200,000 bond until his sentencing, which will take place (for both cases) on January 6 of next year. When leaving court, his only comment was, “To God be the glory.”
