NEW YORK (AP) — Former NBA player Damon Jones pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges related to profiting from rigged poker games and providing sports bettors with insider knowledge about injuries to stars like LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
During his arraignments in federal court in Brooklyn, the 49-year-old Jones remained mostly silent as his lawyer entered the not guilty pleas for him. These charges are part of a much larger federal investigation that led to the arrest of over 30 individuals, including prominent basketball figures and reputed mobsters.
Jones, who played in the NBA from 1999 to 2009 and served as an assistant coach for LeBron's Los Angeles Lakers, is accused of selling non-public injury information to bettors. One message allegedly sent by Jones urged a co-conspirator to place a large wager on the Milwaukee Bucks based on insider information about James's injury ahead of a February 2023 game.
In addition to facing charges for wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering, court documents reveal that Jones participated in rigged poker games that involved sophisticated cheating methods and collaboration with crime families.
As part of his bail agreement, Jones is required to stay within Texas and New York City and is awaiting a preliminary conference slated for November 24.
Marves Fairley, another individual connected to this scandal, also pleaded not guilty Thursday for allegedly profiting from insider information about NBA players’ injuries.
