‘Mind-boggling’ poker fraud used x-ray tables, high-tech glasses and NBA players

Celebrities, professional sports stars and wealthy gamblers sat at a table hoping to win big at a game of Texas Hold ‘Em.

But they didn’t know that it was almost impossible. These were allegedly “fish” targeted by the mafia in an elaborate poker gambling scheme involving X-ray card tables, hidden cameras, analyzers in chip trays, sunglasses and contact lenses that could read hands.

Prosecutors say these “unwitting” victims, akin to an Ocean’s Eleven movie script, were cheated out of at least $7 million (£5.25) in poker games, with one man losing at least $1.8 million.

The scheme, which US prosecutors described as “resembling a Hollywood movie”, was unraveled by a sprawling federal investigation that led to the arrests of more than 30 people, including members of the La Costra Nostra crime families, Portland Trail Blazers basketball coach Chauncey Billups and former National Basketball Association (NBA) player Damon Jones.

FBI director Kash Patel called it a “mind-boggling” fraud scheme that deceived victims in New York, Miami, Las Vegas and other US cities.

The arrests in the program were announced Thursday along with arrests related to an alleged basketball betting conspiracy in which professional NBA players were accused of faking injuries to influence betting odds.

Prosecutors say the underground poker scheme began as early as 2019 and was allegedly run by the mob, specifically members of notorious crime families such as Bonnano, Gambino, Luchesse and Genovese. Prosecutors say a cut of the profits helped fund criminal enterprises.

Former professional athletes, described by prosecutors as “face cards,” were recruited to assist with the scheme and persuade victims to play.

Prosecutors allege that a wealthy “unwitting victim” who had the opportunity to play with a high-profile celebrity like Billups or Jones would be recruited for illegal, underground poker games where tens of thousands of dollars were at stake.

According to a lengthy federal indictment, unbeknownst to the duped players (referred to as “fish” in the scheme), everyone around them — from the players to the dealers to even the technology used to shuffle the deck and count the chips — was involved in an elaborate scam.

Advanced wireless technology has also been used to trick players during games, most commonly in Texas Hold ‘Em.

Technology was everywhere; an x-ray table that reads any face-down card, analyzers inside chip trays, a rigged shuffling machine that reads the cards and predicts who will have the best hand, and pre-marked cards that allow those wearing special sunglasses and contact lenses to read what everyone is holding.

Authorities say hidden cameras placed on tables and light fixtures also helped relay information to those aiding the plot.

Prosecutors also allege there was a sophisticated method of communicating and rigging the game.

Information from the game would be sent to an off-field co-conspirator, called an “operator” by prosecutors, who would then send the information to another player sitting at the table and involved in the scheme, whom prosecutors called a “quarterback” or “driver.”

Prosecutors allege that person then secretly sent signals to others, effectively stealing money and making it impossible for victims to win.

Officials estimate that tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars will fall victim to each game.

Prosecutors allege the defendants laundered funds from the scheme through cryptocurrency, cash exchanges and shell companies.

Prosecutors say a cut of the profits went to those who aided the conspiracy, and some went to fund the mob’s criminal enterprise.

“This alleged scheme wreaked havoc across the country by exploiting the notoriety of some and the wallets of others to finance Italian crime families,” said FBI Deputy Director-in-Charge Christopher Raia.

Billups, accused of having a face card in fixed-card games, was arrested in Portland and placed on leave by the NBA. The Portland Trail Blazers said in a statement that they were aware of the allegations against their head coach and were “cooperating fully with the investigation.”

Jones was arrested in connection with both poker and the NBA injury scheme. He is charged with two counts of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy.