Former Bucks guard faces federal charges in multi-state gambling case

Jones spent his career moving around the league, playing for 11 NBA franchises in total. His time with the Milwaukee Bucks came in two separate runs, first in 2003 and again in 2008 and 2009 as his playing career neared its end. After hanging up his jersey, he shifted to coaching and later joined the Cleveland Cavaliers as an assistant coach.

Authorities allege that Jones shared confidential player information that was later used by gamblers to make illegal bets. During a Thursday press conference, FBI Director Kash Patel described the scheme as a years-long operation built on “mind-boggling” levels of fraud.

Illegal activities from former Bucks player Damon Jones

Joseph Nocella, the interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, stated that insiders such as Rozier and Jones worked alongside organized crime groups, trading sensitive information for a share of the illegal earnings. He noted that the scheme relied on corrupt cooperation from both men, who exploited the trust and access they gained through years of personal and professional ties with NBA players and coaches.

The indictment claims that Jones, a former Bucks player and Cavaliers assistant who served unofficially with the Los Angeles Lakers in spring 2023, allegedly provided or attempted to provide private details about player injuries to gamblers. Additional insiders, including a Trail Blazers coach and an Orlando Magic player, were also said to have passed along information to bettors but were not charged in the case.

Jones and Billups also face charges in a different case tied to a rigged poker operation. According to the FBI, the scheme dates back to 2019 and spanned multiple locations across the United States, including the Hamptons, Manhattan, Las Vegas, and Miami.

An FBI memo details advanced technology used in the scheme, including modified card shuffling machines equipped with hidden devices capable of reading the deck, identifying which players held the strongest hands, and transmitting that information to operators in other states.