Former NBA player and coach Damon Jones was arrested in Las Vegas as part of a federal probe into Mafia-linked gambling scams, with prosecutors describing him as having a “very serious gambling problem.” Jones, 49, faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering in the Eastern District of New York, alongside more than 30 others.
According to an unsealed indictment, Jones and his co-defendants participated in two criminal cases beginning in 2019, involving rigged sports bets and poker games that allegedly defrauded victims of millions. One poker game, held in Las Vegas, included NBA Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and four others: Eric Earnest, Jamie Gilet, Robert Stroud, and Sophia Wei. Authorities allege that in the 2019 card game, at least $50,000 was stolen from other gamblers.
Prosecutors claim that Jones and Billups acted as “face cards” in the scheme, leveraging their NBA status to attract victims, and received a share of the illegal proceeds. The indictment also accuses Jones of participating in a yearslong sports betting conspiracy, using insider information to influence NBA games and profit from wagers.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clay Plummer requested that Jones be prohibited from gambling, including online games, as a condition of his pretrial release. Additional restrictions include a ban on transferring assets over $10,000 and limiting travel to the Houston area—where Jones will reside with his mother—and the Eastern District of New York for legal matters. The judge granted these conditions.
Jones, a former assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2022-23 season and an NBA veteran of 11 years, requested a public defender, citing financial hardship. He is scheduled to appear in court again in Texas on November 24.
