Inside the rigged poker games: How Damon Jones and Chauncey Billups operated a mafia-backed high-stakes scandal

In a bombshell revelation that has captivated both the sports and criminal worlds, former NBA figures Damon Jones and Chauncey Billups have been implicated in one of the most intricate gambling fraud operations ever uncovered.

What began as a series of exclusive poker nights featuring celebrity athletes has now been exposed as a multi-million-dollar criminal enterprise intertwined with Mafia crime families, high-tech cheating devices, and deliberate deception.

The NBA Names at the Center of the Rigged Poker Games and Gambling Scandal

Damon Jones, once a well-known sharpshooter and assistant coach in the NBA, and Chauncey Billups, a Hall of Famer and current head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, were arrested in October 2025 following an FBI investigation into illegal gambling operations.

Both were identified as key participants in a sprawling network that connected underground poker rings to four of New York’s most notorious Mafia families - the Bonanno, Gambino, Lucchese, and Genovese clans.The investigation revealed that Damon Jones and Chauncey Billups served as high-profile “face cards” for these exclusive poker games. Their fame and credibility as NBA stars made them perfect bait to attract wealthy gamblers - referred to as “fish” - who were unknowingly walking into rigged matches stacked against them.

How Damon Jones and Chauncey Billups Carried Out a Multi-City Operation of Deception

The operation wasn’t confined to a single city. The illegal poker games were held in elite circles across New York City, Las Vegas, Miami, and the Hamptons. Since at least 2019, this shadow network has defrauded victims of an estimated $7 million. What set this scheme apart was its fusion of criminal muscle, celebrity involvement, and state-of-the-art cheating technology that ensured insiders always came out on top.These poker sessions masqueraded as glamorous, high-stakes events frequented by celebrities and millionaires. Yet, behind the curtain lay an elaborate setup of digital manipulation and concealed surveillance designed to guarantee the Mafia’s dominance.

High-Tech Tools of the Trade

The rigged games were powered by an arsenal of high-tech devices that gave participants in the know - including Damon Jones and Chauncey Billups - a decisive edge. • Altered Self-Shuffling Machines: These modified machines read every card as they shuffled, determining which player held the strongest hand. This data was transmitted to an off-site “operator” via cell phone. • Quarterbacks and Real-Time Communication: The off-site operator relayed this information back to an accomplice at the table, dubbed the “quarterback,” who discreetly signaled the other insiders on when to fold, call, or raise. • Hidden Cameras in Chip Trays: Cameras embedded within chip trays recorded every chip movement, providing constant visual tracking of bets and stack sizes. • Smart Contact Lenses and Glasses: Select players wore special lenses capable of reading pre-marked cards, giving them covert visual access to hidden information. • X-Ray Poker Tables: Some tables were reportedly fitted with X-ray technology that allowed conspirators to see face-down cards without detection. • Surveillance Through Fixtures: Hidden cameras concealed in table edges and light fixtures captured the entire game, ensuring continuous coordination among those rigging the outcomes.Every element was meticulously synchronized - from the technology to the communication chain - creating an operation so advanced that federal agents called it “unprecedented in the world of illegal gambling.”

The Mechanics of the Fraud

Each game was carefully staged to lure in unsuspecting players.

Once the “fish” took their seats, the altered shuffling machines began sorting the deck to ensure that conspirators received the winning hands. Real-time information about the cards and bets was constantly transmitted, allowing insiders to fold strategically, bluff convincingly, and bet aggressively at precisely the right moments.This wasn’t mere luck - it was a technological symphony of fraud. By knowing every card, every move, and every chip in play, the insiders could manipulate outcomes with surgical precision.

Victims often lost tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars per night, unaware that they were playing against a rigged system.

How Was The Mafia Involved in the Fraudulent Operation

The involvement of organized crime was extensive and deliberate. The Mafia families that backed the operation didn’t just provide muscle - they managed logistics, protection, and money laundering. Profits from these games were funneled into broader criminal enterprises through a web of cash exchanges, shell companies, and cryptocurrency transactions.In one particularly brazen incident, one of the modified shuffling machines was reportedly acquired at gunpoint to keep it within the operation’s control, illustrating the Mafia’s ruthless approach to protecting its lucrative setup.

The Role of Damon Jones and Chauncey Billups

Federal documents and testimonies indicate that Damon Jones and Chauncey Billups were fully aware of the scheme’s fraudulent nature. They were not merely guests but paid participants, enlisted for their celebrity appeal.

Their presence added legitimacy to the games, convincing high-rollers that they were part of an authentic experience rather than a trap.In one exchange cited by investigators, Damon Jones demanded an advance payment of $2,500 before agreeing to appear at a poker game - a move that confirmed his voluntary involvement in the conspiracy. Both he and Chauncey Billups played multiple roles in the setup: attracting new victims, maintaining the illusion of fairness, and sharing in the illicit profits.

A Scandal That Scarred the NBA

The timing of the arrests, coinciding with the start of the 2025-26 NBA season, sent shockwaves across the league. Both Chauncey Billups and Damon Jones were immediately placed on indefinite suspension pending further investigation. The NBA released a statement expressing deep concern over the potential impact on the sport’s integrity, while law enforcement agencies hinted that additional arrests could follow as the case unfolds.The scandal represents one of the darkest intersections between professional sports and organized crime in recent history - a tale of fame, greed, and corruption that blurred the lines between celebrity and criminality.The saga of Damon Jones and Chauncey Billups has the allure of a Hollywood crime thriller: star athletes drawn into a high-stakes web of deception controlled by Mafia bosses and powered by technology straight out of a spy movie.

But beneath the cinematic sheen lies a sobering truth - the dangers of fame colliding with the seductive pull of easy money.Also read: All NBA teams and players arrested in massive illegal betting probe: FBI’s gambling investigation enters court phase, more arrests expectedThis case stands as a cautionary tale for both athletes and fans: even the brightest names in sports can fall prey to temptation, and even the most glamorous games can hide the darkest schemes. The investigation remains ongoing and the scandal has forever changed the conversation about gambling, integrity, and corruption within the NBA and beyond.