Damon Jones pleads not guilty to gambling charges

Former NBA player and coach Damon Jones has pleaded not guilty to charges relating to his alleged involvement in a rigged poker game as well as a sports gambling scheme, according to Michael R. Sisak of The Associated Press.

Jones was arrested in late October and was charged in both cases with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. While 30 people were charged as a result of one of the two indictments, Jones was one of three people who faced charges in both cases.

There was speculation at the time of Jones’ arrest that his involvement could be the most problematic for the league, given his connection to both cases, as well as his alleged use of privileged information involving Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.

Jones never held a formal coaching position with the Lakers, but as a longtime friend of James who played with and coached the four-time MVP in Cleveland, he was often around the team and would occasionally fly with the players to road games.

Federal prosecutors have accused Jones of using his access to sell non-public information to sports gamblers, most notably in relation to a game on February 9, 2023 between the Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks, which James sat out. Jones allegedly sent a text message to an unnamed co-conspirator that read, “Get a big bet on Milwaukee tonight before the information is out.”

Jones was released on a $200K bond, as was sports bettor Marves Fairley, who also pleaded not guilty to his charges of alleged involvement in the sports gambling scheme. According to prosecutors, Fairley paid Jones around $2500 for a tip involving the playing status of then-Laker Anthony Davis, which turned out to be incorrect, causing Fairley to demand a refund from Jones.

As part of his bail agreement, Jones’ travel is restricted to parts of Texas and New York City.