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After initially maintaining his innocence, NBA champion Damon Jones pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud after disclosing inside information before it was made public for the benefit of players.
Jones became the first NBA figure involved in the scandal to plead guilty – he was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.
Reading from a prepared statement in court, he admitted conspiring with others to defraud sports betting companies using “insider information I obtained through my connections as a former player.”
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Former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones arrives at federal court in Brooklyn, New York on April 28, 2026. (Yuki Iwamura/AP)
Jones told a relative that a “prominent” Los Angeles Lakers player widely believed to be LeBron Jameswould not play on February 9, 2023, before the information is public. Jones was an assistant with the team at the time.
James did not play in the game due to an ankle injury. The game took place two days after James scored 38 points to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
Jones also allegedly gave apparent inside information about another “one of the Lakers’ best players” 11 months later, believed to be Anthony Davisregarding an injury likely to affect his performance. It ultimately backfired because the player “played well” and the Lakers won, according to authorities.
“I would like to sincerely apologize to the court, my family, my peers and the National Basketball Association,” Jones said.
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He said the goal of the conspiracy, which ran from December 2022 to March 2024, was to use his insider knowledge — which prosecutors said involved non-public information about NBA stars’ injuries — to make money through sports betting. He acknowledged that his actions violated the NBA’s code of conduct as well as the sports betting sites’ terms of service.
Jones is scheduled to be sentenced on January 6, 2027 before Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall. Sentencing guidelines for conspiracy to commit wire fraud call for a sentence of 21 to 27 months in prison. Jones also agreed to forfeit $35,000. Under his bail conditions, he cannot gamble or be involved with organized crime figures and he must get court approval for bank transfers over $10,000 unless they are for legal fees. Jones initially pleaded not guilty in November and even used his parents’ house as bail security.
Jones also allegedly participated in and benefited from rigged poker games by being used as a face card, with Chauncey Billupsto encourage victims to play with celebrities. He was one of three people charged in the NBA gambling and poker cases. He also pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges in that case.
LeBron James talks with Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue and former teammate Damon Jones during an off-day practice before Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio on June 6, 2017. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images)
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Prosecutors on Monday said they were prepared to file additional charges against current NBA player Terry Rozier, who is accused of walking out of a game so bettors could cash in his “dime” props.
Prosecutors said they were seeking to file additional charges of sports corruption and honest services wire fraud at a hearing. Prosecutors said they had evidence that the former Miami Heat the guard solicited and received a bribe as part of the alleged gambling scheme.
Rozier filed a motion to dismiss the charges against him, with his lawyers saying the wire fraud charge was based on a theory the Supreme Court rejected two years ago and that the government had failed to prove the money laundering conspiracy allegations.
Although he went undrafted out of Houston in 1997, Jones played 11 seasons in the NBA. The definition of a journeyman, Jones played for 10 teams and earned over $20 million during his career.
Throughout his career, he has been teammates with A-list stars, including James, during his three-year stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2005 to 2008. He also spent a season with Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O’Neal with 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 the basketball against the Chicago Bulls during the third quarter at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida on March 8, 2025. Cleveland Cavaliers player Damon Jones in action against the Boston Trail Blazers Celtics in Cleveland, Ohio on March 8, 2025. 27, 2007. The J. Edgar Hoover Building, headquarters of the FBI, is 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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He moved into coaching after his playing career, winning a title with James and the Cavs in 2016 as an assistant. Jones joined the Lakers, James’ current team, as an unofficial, unpaid member of the coaching staff for the 2022-23 season.
More than 30 people were arrested following these two scandals.
