Former NBA guard Damon Jones is now at the center of a major gambling scandal, and it just took a serious turn. He became the first person to plead guilty in a sweeping federal case that has already led to more than 30 arrests, including alleged ties to organized crime.
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According to prosecutors, Jones admitted in a Brooklyn courtroom that he was part of a scheme involving sports betting and rigged poker games. And the details are not great.
In the sports betting case, Jones acknowledged using insider information from his time around the league. We're talking about nonpublic injury updates on NBA players. The kind of stuff sportsbooks definitely do not want getting out. He said flat out that he worked with others to use that information to make money.
Then there's the poker side of it, which might be even worse. Jones admitted he was paid to show up at high-stakes games as a "face card." Basically, his NBA name helped attract wealthy players. Behind the scenes, those games were allegedly rigged using everything from altered shuffling machines to hidden cameras.
Jones apologized in court and said he understood he violated league rules and betting policies. Now he's facing potential prison time, with sentencing set for early next year.
It's a stunning fall for a guy who carved out a long NBA career and stayed connected to the game. And the bigger story might still be unfolding.
