Federal prosecutors have accused former Cleveland Cavaliers guard Damon Jones, who reportedly served as an “unofficial assistant coach” for the Los Angeles Lakers in the course of the 2022-23 season. of promoting non-public medical details about LeBron James to bettors as a part of a sweeping NBA playing investigation.
Jones allegedly “used his entry to confidential participant info to revenue from unlawful wagers” whereas working alongside organized crime-linked gamblers, in accordance with the indictment unsealed Thursday within the Japanese District of New York.
The investigation additionally led to arrests of Miami Warmth guard Terry Rozier and Portland Path Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, tying a number of NBA figures to what prosecutors described as a multi-state, Mafia-backed betting ring.
U.S. Lawyer Joseph Nocella Jr. referred to as it “one of the brazen sports activities corruption schemes since on-line sports activities betting turned extensively legalized in the USA.”
In a single cited alternate, Jones allegedly texted a co-conspirator, “Get a giant guess on Milwaukee tonight earlier than the data is out! [Player 3] is out tonight.” The Los Angeles Instances confirmed that the sport referenced, a February 9, 2023, matchup between the Lakers and Bucks, coincided with James sitting out attributable to ankle soreness.
The indictment additional claims Jones was paid 1000’s for offering insider suggestions all through the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. Not each wager was profitable, in a single case, prosecutors say a $100,000 guess primarily based on a supposed harm to a different Lakers star misplaced, and Jones was compelled to return a $2,500 payment.
“Didn’t know that Jones was allegedly promoting harm info to gamblers,” a supply near LeBron James informed The Instances that the Lakers celebrity. The Lakers declined to touch upon the investigation.
FBI Director Kash Patel stated the probe uncovered “a coordinated community of NBA insiders and arranged crime members exploiting non-public participant info for large monetary achieve.”
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