The NBA betting scandal has reached a pivotal moment as Damon Jones, a former NBA player and assistant coach, has pleaded guilty in federal court. This makes him the first among 34 defendants, which include players, coaches, and alleged organized crime figures, to admit his involvement in an insider betting scheme.
On Tuesday, Jones entered his plea in Brooklyn federal court, acknowledging guilt on two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. These charges are linked to two separate incidents from October 2025 involving illegal sports betting and a rigged poker game operation.
One of the charges pertains to an illegal sports betting scheme where insiders reportedly sold confidential information to gamblers. The other relates to a poker operation allegedly orchestrated by organized crime, which involved using celebrities to attract affluent players to manipulated tables.
This scandal follows previous NBA integrity concerns, particularly the 2024 investigation into Jontay Porter, who was banned for life after it was discovered he shared confidential information with bettors and manipulated his game participation.
In court, Jones admitted to providing insider information to sports gamblers, leveraging his connections within the league to share non-public details, including information about Los Angeles Lakers players like LeBron James. He also confessed to being part of a rigged poker game where he acted as a “face card” to entice high-stakes players. “I knew these games were rigged and players were being cheated,” he stated.
Jones expressed remorse in court, saying, “I would like to sincerely apologize to the court, my family, my peers, and the National Basketball Association.”
As one of only three defendants implicated in both schemes, Jones holds a unique position that may exert pressure on other defendants as the investigation unfolds. He is currently awaiting sentencing, which is set for January 6, 2027. He faces a potential prison term of 21 to 27 months for the insider information case and 63 to 78 months for the poker-related charge. Prosecutors have indicated they will recommend a lighter sentence due to his cooperation in the plea deal.
The case has also escalated for Terry Rozier, who is facing charges related to illegal sports betting. Federal prosecutors are planning to introduce new charges against him. During a recent hearing, they indicated they would seek a superseding indictment alleging that Rozier “solicited and accepted a bribe.”
Prosecutors assert that Rozier informed a friend he would leave a March 2023 game early while playing for the Charlotte Hornets, subsequently selling that information to gamblers who used it to place bets. They argue that his actions could amount to sports bribery and honest services fraud, claiming he deprived “the NBA and the Charlotte Hornets of Mr. Rozier’s honest services.”
Following his October arrest, the NBA placed Rozier on leave. In February, an arbitrator ruled that the NBA must pay him his $26.4 million salary. Miami waived him earlier this month. Rozier has pleaded not guilty and is expected to return to court on June 10.
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, a Hall of Famer, has also been implicated in the poker scandal. Prosecutors allege he leveraged his status to attract high rollers to poker games featuring X-ray technology and rigged shuffling machines. Billups has pleaded not guilty, with his trial set for September 2026.
Additionally, another defendant, Marves Fairley, is anticipated to plead guilty. Fairley faces charges related to both the NBA illegal sports betting case and a separate college basketball point-shaving scandal.