Former NBA player and coach Damon Jones, along with Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, was charged in a federal investigation into illegal gambling. According to FOX 26 Houston, more than 30 people were implicated in schemes involving illegal sports betting and rigged poker games allegedly connected to the Mafia.
Jones, a former NBA player and coach who worked with teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers and was an ESPN analyst in 2018, is facing legal trouble. He is accused of running a rigged poker operation and using insider NBA information for illegal sports betting. During a high-stakes poker game, he reportedly said, "Y’all know I know what I’m doing!! Let me hibachi like Gilbert Arenas," as per FOX 26 Houston.
Jones is accused of selling injury information about a "prominent player" and sharing details about player availability before a Lakers game on February 9, 2023, as detailed by CBS News Texas. He is indicted on two counts each of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. Authorities are investigating the case, and the date of his first court appearance has not been announced.
