Damon Jones pleads not guilty to insider tips and poker schemes

Former NBA guard and assistant coach Damon Jones pleaded not guilty Thursday in federal court in Brooklyn to charges that he provided nonpublic injury information to sports bettors and took part in rigged high stakes poker games, prosecutors said. Jones, 49, entered the pleas during back to back arraignments on indictments charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering tied to two separate alleged schemes.

Prosecutors allege Jones sold or attempted to sell inside information about player injuries and shared tips that bettors used to place large wagers. The indictment alleges that Jones texted a coconspirator before a February 9, 2023, game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Milwaukee Bucks, writing, "Get a big bet on Milwaukee tonight before the information is out," and that LeBron James, referred to in charging documents as Player 3, was later ruled out of that game. Prosecutors also say Jones received roughly $2,500 on January 15, 2024 for a tip about Anthony Davis that a bettor used to place a $100,000 wager; according to prosecutors, that tip proved incorrect when Davis played his usual minutes.