Damon Jones Expected to Enter Guilty Plea in Federal Gambling Probe
damon-jones-plea-federal-gambling-case
Former NBA guard Damon Jones is preparing to admit guilt in a wide-ranging federal sports-gambling investigation, according to reports from The Athletic and the Associated Press.
Jones, 47, previously pleaded not guilty to charges of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. Court records now show he intends to reverse that plea at a hearing anticipated in the coming weeks.
The former Cleveland Cavaliers sharpshooter is one of nearly three dozen defendants swept up in the probe, which centers on an allegedly rigged poker ring and a separate scheme that used non-public information to place sports wagers.
Jones is among a small group of defendants named in both indictments. Prosecutors say he had access to inside information through his close relationship with LeBron James and frequent presence around the Los Angeles Lakers, despite holding no official team position.
Investigators cited a text message sent before a Feb. 2023 game between the Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks. With James expected to sit out, Jones allegedly urged a co-conspirator to “get a big bet on Milwaukee tonight before the information is out.”
Two other NBA figures were also charged: Chauncey Billups in connection with the poker operation and Terry Rozier in the insider-information case.
Jones’s forthcoming plea would move the case into its next phase as federal prosecutors pursue convictions against the remaining defendants.
Source: Hoops Wire
