No online gambling, no casinos, no contact with organized crime
In a Brooklyn federal courtroom on Thursday, former NBA player Damon Jones entered a not guilty plea to charges that place professional basketball at the crossroads of organized crime and illegal gambling. The two indictments against him — one alleging insider tips on NBA games, another involving rigged high-stakes poker — are part of a sweeping case touching 34 defendants, including Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and alleged members of the Genovese crime family. The case raises enduring questions about the vulnerabilities that accompany wealth, proximity to power, and the long shadow that follows those who drift from the arena into darker orbits.
- Jones allegedly texted a co-conspirator on February 9, 2023, urging a large bet on Milwaukee before word got out that LeBron James — his former teammate and friend — would miss that night's game.
- The poker scheme was no casual hustle: X-ray tables, rigged shuffling machines, hidden cameras, and marked-card glasses were used to fleece wealthy victims lured in by the presence of celebrity athletes acting as 'face cards.'
- The operation's alleged architect, Robert Stroud, faces not only conspiracy charges but a separate allegation of orchestrating an armed robbery — and was found with poker chips and cameras hidden in his home's air vents.
- Alleged Genovese crime family associate Angelo Ruggiero Jr. sought a $5 million bond and was flatly denied, while Jones — unable to afford private counsel — relied on his parents' Texas home to secure his own release.
- With 34 defendants, court dates stretching into late November, and Chauncey Billups yet to enter a plea, the legal proceedings are only beginning to untangle what prosecutors describe as a sophisticated criminal enterprise at the heart of professional sports.
Damon Jones stood before a federal judge in Brooklyn on Thursday and pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from two separate indictments — one involving rigged poker games, the other alleging he sold insider NBA information to gamblers. He was released on a $200,000 bond secured by his parents' Texas home, barred from online gambling, casinos, and any contact with organized crime figures.
Jones is among 34 defendants named in cases unsealed in late October, painting a picture of criminal enterprise where professional sports and organized crime intersect. The poker scheme alone allegedly generated over $7 million, drawing wealthy victims into games stacked against them through X-ray tables, a rigged shuffling machine, hidden cameras, and glasses that revealed invisible markings on cards. Celebrity athletes — called 'face cards' in court documents — were recruited to make the games appear legitimate.
In the basketball betting case, prosecutors say Jones texted a co-conspirator on February 9, 2023, urging a large bet on Milwaukee before 'the information is out.' That night, LeBron James — Jones's former Cavaliers teammate — missed the Lakers-Bucks game with ankle soreness. James has not been accused of wrongdoing. A separate defendant allegedly paid for advance knowledge that Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier planned to leave a game early, enabling strategic wagering.
NBA Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups is also named in the poker indictment as a recruited 'face card.' He has not yet entered a plea and is due in court November 24. The scheme's alleged primary organizer, Robert Stroud, faces additional charges of orchestrating an armed robbery; police found poker chips and cameras hidden in air vents at his Florida home. The judge ordered him to remain on home confinement, citing a prior reckless homicide conviction.
Alleged Genovese crime family member Angelo Ruggiero Jr. had his $5 million bond request denied outright. Co-defendant Marves Fairley, who also pleaded not guilty, was released on a bond co-signed by his wife, his pastor, and a local school superintendent. Jones, meanwhile, was represented by a court-appointed attorney — a quiet detail that speaks volumes about the distance between a career in the NBA and the circumstances in which he now finds himself.
Damon Jones walked into federal court in Brooklyn on Thursday afternoon and told the judge he was not guilty. The former NBA guard and coach faced two separate indictments alleging his involvement in illegal gambling operations—one centered on rigged poker games, the other on insider betting tips placed on professional basketball games. He was released on a $200,000 bond secured by his parents' Texas home, though the court imposed strict conditions: no online gambling, no visits to casinos or betting establishments, and no contact with organized crime figures.
Jones was one of 34 people charged across two sweeping indictments unsealed in late October. The cases paint a portrait of sophisticated criminal enterprise operating at the intersection of professional sports and organized crime. In the poker scheme alone, prosecutors allege the operation generated more than $7 million through rigged games that lured wealthy victims into playing against athletes—referred to in court documents as "face cards." The games employed high-tech deception: X-ray tables to see through card backs, a rigged shuffling machine, hidden cameras positioned throughout the room, and specially designed glasses that revealed invisible markings on cards.
The basketball betting case centers on Jones's alleged role as an information broker. On February 9, 2023, prosecutors say he sent a text message to a co-conspirator urging them to place a large bet on Milwaukee before "the information is out." The message indicated that a prominent NBA player would be unavailable that night. That player was LeBron James, Jones's former teammate on the Cleveland Cavaliers and a longtime friend. James missed the Lakers' game against the Bucks that evening due to ankle soreness. James himself has not been accused of any wrongdoing. Another defendant, Marves Fairley, allegedly paid for information about Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier's plan to leave a game early on March 23, 2023—information that could be used to place strategic bets.
The poker scheme indictment names dozens of defendants, including NBA Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups, who prosecutors say was recruited as a "face card" to play in the rigged games. Billups has not yet entered a plea and is scheduled to appear in court on November 24. Robert Stroud, a 67-year-old Kentucky resident, is identified as a primary organizer of the scheme. Prosecutors allege he brought both Jones and Billups into the conspiracy. Stroud also faces a separate allegation: prosecutors say he orchestrated the armed robbery of an unidentified victim. When police raided Stroud's Florida residence, they discovered poker chips and hidden cameras concealed in air vents. The judge ordered Stroud to remain on home confinement, citing his prior conviction for reckless homicide.
Angelo Ruggiero Jr., whom prosecutors identify as a member of the Genovese crime family and an organizer of one of the recurring poker games, requested a $5 million bond Thursday. U.S. District Judge Ramon Reyes denied the request. Marves Fairley, who appeared alongside Jones, also pleaded not guilty and was released on a $200,000 bond guaranteed by his wife, his pastor, and a local school superintendent. Jones was represented by a court-appointed attorney, Kenneth J. Montgomery, assigned through the Criminal Justice Act because Jones could not afford private counsel—a detail that raised questions about the financial circumstances of a man who spent years in the NBA but now faces federal charges and relies on his parents' home to secure his release.
Notable Quotes
Get a big bet on Milwaukee tonight before the information is out! [Player 3] is out tonight.— Text message allegedly sent by Damon Jones on February 9, 2023, regarding LeBron James
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does it matter that Jones allegedly tipped off bettors about LeBron James?
Because it's not just gambling—it's using privileged information from inside professional sports to manipulate betting markets. If you know a star player won't suit up before the public does, you can place bets at odds that don't yet reflect that reality. It's a form of fraud.
And the poker scheme sounds almost theatrical. X-ray tables, marked cards, hidden cameras?
It does, but that's the point. These weren't casual games. They were designed to systematically extract money from wealthy people who thought they were playing fairly. The sophistication suggests this wasn't improvised—it was a business.
Why would NBA players participate in something like this?
That's the question no one's answered yet. Some may have been recruited without fully understanding what they were walking into. Others may have been desperate for money. Jones was court-appointed counsel, which suggests financial strain. But the indictment suggests at least some players knew exactly what they were doing.
What happens to Jones now?
He waits. His case is complex because he's charged in two separate schemes with different judges overseeing each one. The real test comes when the evidence is presented. Right now, he's just entered a plea. The trial is months away.