Celebrities, professional sports stars, and wealthy gamblers sat at a table hoping to win big in a game of Texas Hold 'Em.
But they didn't know it was nearly impossible. They were fishes allegedly being targeted by the mafia in an elaborate poker gambling scheme that included X-ray card tables, secret cameras, analysers in chip trays, and sunglasses and contact lenses that could read their hand.
In what sounds like an Ocean's Eleven film plot, prosecutors say these unwitting victims were cheated out of at least $7m (£5.25m) in poker games - with one person losing at least $1.8m.
The scheme, which US prosecutors described as reminiscent of a Hollywood movie, was dismantled in a sprawling federal investigation that led to more than 30 arrests, including members of La Cosa Nostra crime families, Portland Trail Blazers basketball coach Chauncey Billups and former NBA player Damon Jones.
FBI Director Kash Patel called it a mind-boggling fraud scheme that cheated victims in New York, Miami, Las Vegas, and other cities.
Arrests in the scheme were announced alongside those in an alleged basketball betting plot, where professional NBA players are accused of faking injuries to influence betting odds.
The underground poker scheme reportedly started as early as 2019 and was allegedly run by mafia members, including those from the Bonnano, Gambino, Lucchese, and Genovese families.
Former professional athletes, referred to by prosecutors as face cards, were enlisted to attract potential victims into the scheme.
With the chance to play with high-profile celebrities like Billups or Jones, wealthy victims were drawn into illegal underground poker games with huge stakes.
Unknown to these players, designated fish, everyone involved was complicit in the scheme - from the players to the dealers and even the technology used.
The fraud utilized advanced wireless technology in traditional Texas Hold 'Em games, pairing it with an intricate web of communication and signal systems.
Prosecutors allege that an off-site conspirator, termed operator, conveyed crucial game information to an informant at the table, dubbed quarterback or driver. This person would communicate hidden signals during gameplay to facilitate cheating.
Texts from US authorities suggest that the quarterback might subtly indicate which conspirator holds the best hand using specific gestures.
Despite the elaborate setup, some conspirators reportedly agreed to let victims win occasionally to prolong their stay at the table.
Prosecutors revealed that defendants laundered funds through cryptocurrencies and shell companies, and a portion of the profits were funneled to support mafia activities. This alleged scheme wreaked havoc across the nation, remarked FBI Assistant Director Christopher Raia.
Billups was arrested in Portland and subsequently placed on leave by the NBA, with the Portland Trail Blazers cooperating fully with the ongoing investigation, while Jones faced charges related to both the poker scheme and the NBA scandal.
