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7 Nov 2025 8:03
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  •   Home > News > International

    What we know about 'mind-boggling' NBA rigging and poker fraud cases

    The allegations involve NBA luminaries, multiple New York mafia families, millions in cash and even an x-ray poker table that could read cards face down.


    It takes a lot to knock Donald Trump off as the top story in America's news cycle.

    But Thursday's allegations were so explosive, they blasted the human headline from the front pages.

    In one sense, it is a simple story: multiple people have been accused of rigging NBA markets and underground gambling for financial gain.

    But what makes these cases so remarkable is their scale and sophistication, as well as the stars who are named.

    The allegations — described as "mind boggling" by FBI director Kash Patel — involve NBA luminaries, multiple New York mafia families, millions in cash and even an x-ray poker table that can read cards face down.

    Here is what you need to know about the saga.

    Overlapping cases

    Two separate but related indictments were released on Thursday.

    One contains accusations that people compromised NBA matches, while the other alleges an elaborate scheme to manipulate illegal, high-stakes poker games.

    More than 30 people have been arrested across 11 US states. One man is named in both cases.

    There are six defendants in the NBA case. It is alleged the ring exploited inside information (on things like injuries) to place winning wagers linked to the performances of specific players.

    It is alleged four bookmaking companies were victims in the NBA scam, which has been described by US Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr as "brazen".

    Meanwhile, the second case relates to underground poker games, backed by four of New York's five historical mafia "families" — often referred to collectively as La Cosa Nostra.

    It is alleged more than 30 defendants used sophisticated technology to rig the games. 

    Victims (known as "fish") were enticed to the games, held in multiple locations around the country, with a promise to play alongside high profile people (known as "face cards").

    "What the victims, the fish, didn't know was that everybody else at the poker game, from the dealer to players, including the face cards, was in on the scam," Mr Nocella said.

    Big case, big names

    The cases involve some of basketball's biggest names, including a current NBA player and head coach.

    Portland Trailblazers head coach Chauncey Billups is accused of being in on the mob's fixed poker games as a "face card".

    Meanwhile, it is alleged Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier fabricated an injury during a 2023 game to ensure his co-accused's bet got up.

    It is alleged punters in on the scam wagered around $US200,000 ($307,000) and made big profits on Rozier's poor performance in the match.

    It is alleged after the winnings were collected, bags of cash were driven to Rozier's home, where he helped count it.

    Damon Jones — a former player and personal coach to the NBA's all-time leading scorer LeBron James — is the man named in both cases.

    He is accused of using his relationship with "a prominent NBA player" to get inside information, which he then sold to professional punters.

    James is not named in the indictment and there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing on his part.

    Jones, an NBA hall-of-famer, is also accused of being a "face card" in the poker games.

    X-ray tables, hidden cameras

    The case relating to the underground poker games includes claims they were manipulated using a variety of sophisticated technologies.

    For example, there are allegations multiple automatic shuffling machines were tampered with so they could read the cards in the deck.

    That information was then conveyed to someone at an external location, who would communicate it back to some of those in the room.

    "The defendants used other cheating technologies, such as poker chip tray analysers, which is a poker chip tray that secretly reads cards using a hidden camera, special contact lens or eye glasses that could read pre-marked cards, and an x-ray table that could read cards face down on the table," Mr Nocella said.

    It is alleged multiple people were scammed out of large sums of money, including one player who lost around $US1.8 million ($2.76 million).


    ABC




    © 2025 ABC Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved

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