Jones 1st to plead guilty in NBA gambling case
Former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones has become the first person to plead guilty in a gambling sweep that led to the arrests of more than 30 people, including reputed mobsters and other basketball figures.
Jones, 49, entered a guilty plea to a single count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud during the first of back-to-back plea-change hearings in Brooklyn federal court. Sentencing guidelines call for a punishment of 21-27 months in prison, and Jones also agreed to forfeit $35,000. His sentencing is set for Jan. 6, 2027, before Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall.
Reading a prepared statement to the court, he acknowledged that he conspired with others to defraud sports betting companies by using "insider information that I obtained as a result of my relationships as a former player."
"I would like to sincerely apologize to the court, my family, my peers and also the National Basketball Association," Jones said.
He said the goal of the conspiracy, which ran from December 2022 to March 2024, was to use his insider knowledge -- which prosecutors say involved nonpublic information about injuries to NBA stars -- to make money from sports books.
He acknowledged that his actions violated the NBA's code of conduct and also the terms of service on sports betting websites.