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Former NBA subordinate Damon Jones became the archetypal idiosyncratic to plead guilty successful a brace of national indictments involving 34 defendants, including immoderate with alleged links to the mafia and different NBA figures.
Jones, 49, was among 3 radical charged successful some indictments, 1 of which focused connected poker schemes successful which affluent victims were allegedly lured to play successful rigged games against athletes. The different focuses connected sports betting, accusing the erstwhile Cleveland Cavaliers defender of utilizing wrong accusation to spot bets.
Reading from a prepared connection Tuesday wrong Brooklyn national tribunal successful the archetypal of 2 scheduled plea deals, Jones acknowledged helium utilized "insider information" helium obtained from the relationships helium made during his clip arsenic a player, the Associated Press reported.
He apologized to his family, colleagues and the National Basketball League arsenic portion of his statement.
CBS News has reached retired to his lawyer for comment.
Former NBA subordinate and adjunct manager Damon Jones arrives astatine Brooklyn national court, April 28, 2026, successful New York.
AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura
In the sports betting case, national prosecutors accused Jones of sending a extremity astir "a salient NBA player, saying: 'Get a large stake connected Milwaukee contiguous earlier the accusation is out! [Player 3] is retired tonight.'" He appears to beryllium referring to LeBron James, a erstwhile teammate and longtime friend. James is not accused of immoderate wrongdoing.
Prosecutors person not indicated that pleas are expected for different defendants successful the sports betting cases. On Monday, Miami Heat subordinate Terry Rozier who pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to perpetrate ligament fraud and conspiracy to perpetrate wealth laundering, appeared successful tribunal for a question to dismiss his case.
Instead, national prosecutors said during the proceeding that they mean to bring further charges – including bribery and ligament fraud – against the NBA prima by mid-May.
Prosecutors accused Jones of participating successful a rigged poker crippled successful Las Vegas successful 2019, tribunal documents said, that utilized a instrumentality described arsenic a "rigged shuffling machine" that was secretly altered to work the cards. The FBI said a unfortunate was defrauded of $50,000 successful that game.
Jones besides pleaded blameworthy successful that case.
Eleven different defendants caught up successful the probe are set to marque plea agreements.
Jones' sentencing is acceptable for Jan. 6, 2027, the AP reported.
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