NBA champion Damon Jones pleads guilty first in NBA gambling scandal

NBA champion Damon Jones, who initially maintained his innocence, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud after providing inside information before it was made public for the benefit of gamblers.

Jones became the first NBA figure to admit blame in the scandal; He was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.

He admitted to conspiring with others to defraud sports betting companies using “inside information obtained through my dealings as a former player,” he read a prepared statement to the court.

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Jones told someone close to him that a “well-known” player on the Los Angeles Lakers was the subject of widespread speculation. LeBron Jameshe would not play on February 9, 2023 without the information being made public. Jones was the team’s assistant at the time.

James did not play in the match due to an ankle injury. The game was played two days after James became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer with 38 points.

Jones also allegedly gave open inside information about another “one of the Lakers’ best players” 11 months later. Anthony DavisIt relates to an injury that is likely to affect your performance. This ultimately backfired, according to officials, because the player “performed well” and the Lakers won.

“I want to sincerely apologize to the court, my family, my peers, and also the National Basketball Association,” Jones said.

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He said the goal of the conspiracy, which lasted from December 2022 to March 2024, was to use insider information — which prosecutors say included nonpublic information about NBA stars’ injuries — to make money from sports betting sites. He acknowledged that his actions violated the NBA’s code of conduct as well as the terms of service at sports betting sites.

Jones is expected to be sentenced on January 6, 2027, before Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall. The sentencing rules for conspiracy to commit wire fraud call for a prison sentence of 21 to 27 months. Jones also agreed to forfeit $35,000. Under his bail conditions, he cannot gamble or get involved with organized crime figures and must get court approval for bank transfers over $10,000 as long as there are no legal fees. Jones initially pleaded not guilty in November and even used his parents’ home as collateral.

Jones is also alleged to have taken part in and benefited from rigged poker games used as “face cards”. Chauncey BillupsPersuading victims to play with celebrities. He was one of three people charged in both the NBA gambling and poker cases. He pleaded guilty to the charges in this case on Tuesday.

LeBron James speaks with Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue and former teammate Damon Jones during an off-day practice ahead of Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio on June 6, 2017. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images)

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Prosecutors on Monday said they are willing to seek additional charges against current NBA player Terry Rozier, who is accused of removing himself from the game so bettors could cash in their “meager” backing.

Prosecutors said during the trial that they were trying to file new charges instead of bribery and wire fraud in sports and honest services. Prosecutors say they have evidence of the former Miami Heat The guard asked for and received a bribe in the middle of the alleged gambling scheme.

Rozier filed a motion to dismiss the charges against him after his lawyers argued that the wire fraud charge was based on a theory that the Supreme Court rejected two years ago and that the government had failed to prove allegations of a money laundering conspiracy.

Although he was not drafted out of Houston in 1997, Jones played 11 seasons in the NBA. The definition of a journeyman, Jones played for 10 teams and earned more than $20 million during his career.

Throughout his career, he has been teammates with prominent stars, including James during a three-year stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2005 to 2008. He also spent a season with Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O’Neal on the Miami Heat.

Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups calls a play during the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon on February 20, 2025. Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier dribbles during the third quarter against the Chicago Bulls at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida on March 8, 2025. Cleveland Cavaliers player Damon Jones practices against the Boston Celtics on November 20 in Cleveland, Ohio. 27, 2007. FBI headquarters, the J. Edgar Hoover Building, shown in Washington, DC, on May 28, 2025. (STR/NurPhoto via Getty Images;Troy Wayrynen/Imagn Images;Sam Navarro/Imagn Images;Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

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After his playing career, he became a coach and won a championship as an assistant with James and the Cavs in 2016. Jones joined James’ current team, the Lakers, as an unofficial, unpaid coaching staff member for the 2022-23 season.

More than 30 people were arrested as a result of both scandals.

Ryan Gaydos of Fox News and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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