Damon Jones, the former NBA player and assistant coach arrested as part of two federal illegal gambling probes around the NBA, is expected to change his plea to guilty, according to multiple reports. He would be the first person to plead guilty in these cases.
At the request of Jones’ attorneys, a change-of-plea hearing is scheduled for May 6 in Brooklyn federal court, the Associated Press reports.
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These changes are part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, although the details of that deal are not public.
Jones was the one NBA figure tied to both parts of the federal probe that led to more than 30 arrests. Jones had been charged with wire fraud and money laundering in relation to both cases: One, that he provided sports bettors (with mafia ties) non-public information about injuries to key players such as LeBron James and Anthony Davis (Jones, a former teammate of LeBron, was not on the Lakers staff but did work out LeBron pregame); second, that he profited and helped draw players into rigged poker games.
In that same sweep, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was arrested as part of the federal probe for allegedly providing sports bettors with information that he would not meet prop bet numbers in certain games. Former Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups was arrested for allegedly being the “face” who helped draw people to the rigged poker games. Both men have pled not guilty.
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