NBA Rigged Poker Case: 12 More Defendants Plead Guilty to Wire Fraud

Twelve more defendants in the mob-linked rigged poker case tied to the NBA gambling scandal have told federal prosecutors they will plead guilty to wire fraud, according to a letter filed with the US District Court in Brooklyn on Tuesday by US Attorney Joseph Nocella. Prosecutors said a further nine defendants are in active plea discussions, meaning the bulk of the 31 people charged in the rigged card game scheme are now moving to resolve their cases rather than fight them at trial.

The disclosure marks the fastest phase yet in one of the largest illegal gambling prosecutions in recent US sports history. It comes less than three months after former NBA player Damon Jones became the first defendant to plead guilty, and it sharpens the pressure on the two highest-profile names still contesting the charges, Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier.

What just happened in the NBA rigged poker case?

A dozen defendants have signalled they will plead guilty to a single count of wire fraud, and nine others are negotiating deals. US Attorney Joseph Nocella of the Eastern District of New York set out the shift in a letter to the court on Tuesday, first reported by CasinoBeats and confirmed by national outlets including CBS News. The letter does not name the individual defendants who are pleading, but it signals that the government's case is holding together as cooperation and plea agreements accumulate.

How many people were charged in total?

Federal prosecutors charged 34 people across two related indictments unsealed in October 2025. The rigged poker indictment names 31 defendants, while a separate indictment covers an insider sports betting scheme built on non-public NBA injury information. Several defendants appear in both cases. All 31 poker defendants appeared together in federal court in Brooklyn on March 4, 2026, a logistical marker of how sprawling the prosecution has become.

Key facts at a glance

• 12 defendants intend to plead guilty to wire fraud, per US Attorney Joseph Nocella's July 2026 court letter.
• 9 further defendants are in plea discussions, the government told the court.
• 31 defendants were charged in the rigged poker indictment, part of 34 charged across two indictments (US Department of Justice, October 2025).
• More than 7 million dollars was allegedly netted from the rigged games, with one victim losing 50,000 dollars in a single sitting (CBS News, 2026).

How were the poker games allegedly rigged?

Prosecutors say the games were not games of chance at all but engineered thefts dressed up as high-stakes poker. According to the indictment, the crews used altered card shuffling machines that secretly read the deck, hidden cameras built into light fixtures and other objects, X-ray tables that could see face-down cards, and special glasses and contact lenses that could read pre-marked cards. A rigged shuffling device was used at a 2019 game in Las Vegas, one of the earliest events described in the case.

The role of the former athletes, prosecutors allege, was to act as a lure. So-called face cards, meaning recognisable basketball figures, were used to draw wealthy victims to the table under the impression they were joining an exclusive game, before the technology quietly stripped them of their money.

Which Mafia families are involved?

The scheme was allegedly backed by members and associates of La Cosa Nostra, including the Bonanno and Genovese crime families, according to court filings cited by CBS News. Prosecutors have described organised crime figures providing muscle and financing, with named associates including a purported Genovese member and a Bonanno associate. The involvement of traditional Mafia families is what elevated a cheating ring into a federal racketeering and wire fraud prosecution rather than a state gaming matter.

What did Damon Jones plead guilty to?

Damon Jones, 49, a former NBA player who worked as a shooting coach to LeBron James and an unofficial assistant with the Los Angeles Lakers, became the first defendant to plead guilty when he admitted two counts of wire fraud conspiracy on April 28, 2026. Jones sold non-public information about Lakers player injuries so that others could place informed illegal bets, and he was also linked to the rigged card games.

"Damon Jones converted his fame and ties to professional basketball into a multi-faceted criminal betting operation," said US Attorney Joseph Nocella.

Jones faces roughly four to five years in prison under his agreement, with sentencing scheduled for January 2027, according to Sportico. His plea set the template that the latest wave of defendants now appears to be following.

What does this mean for Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier?

Both men have pleaded not guilty and, unlike the dozen new defendants, are not currently expected to take plea deals. Chauncey Billups, the Trail Blazers head coach and a Basketball Hall of Famer, is charged in the poker scheme, while Terry Rozier is charged in the connected insider betting case. As co-defendants strike agreements and potentially agree to cooperate, prosecutors gain sworn accounts of how the games and information flows worked, which historically raises the stakes for the remaining defendants who choose trial.

How does the charge of wire fraud work here?

Wire fraud is the federal government's workhorse charge for schemes that cross state lines using phones, email, or electronic banking. It carries a statutory maximum of up to 20 years per count, although first-time defendants who plead guilty typically receive far less under federal sentencing guidelines. The prosecutions rely on the interstate movement of money and communications, which is why organising a rigged poker night across multiple states and wiring the proceeds is charged federally rather than as simple cheating.

How the two NBA gambling cases compare

Feature	Rigged poker case	Insider betting case
Core allegation	Cheating victims at fixed high-stakes poker games	Betting on games using non-public NBA injury data
Defendants charged	31	Part of the 34 total across both indictments
Highest-profile name	Chauncey Billups	Terry Rozier
Organised crime link	Bonanno and Genovese families named	Focus on insider information and betting
First guilty plea	Wave of 12 pleas in July 2026	Damon Jones, April 2026

Why does this matter for the betting industry?

The case sits at the intersection of illegal gambling, insider information, and sports integrity, three issues that regulated operators and leagues are watching closely as legal US sports betting expands. It underscores how non-public athlete data can be weaponised, a concern that has driven leagues and licensed sportsbooks to invest heavily in integrity monitoring. It also lands as US courts and regulators grapple with a wider wave of betting-related enforcement, from prediction market disputes to bribery cases involving current players.

What happens next?

Formal plea hearings for the 12 defendants are expected in the coming weeks, followed by sentencing dates likely to stretch into 2027. The nine defendants still in plea talks could further thin the trial roster. Attention will then concentrate on the smaller group, including Billups and Rozier, who continue to contest the charges. If their cases proceed to trial, cooperating co-defendants would be central witnesses.

FAQ

How many defendants are pleading guilty in the NBA poker case?

Twelve defendants have told the court they intend to plead guilty to wire fraud, and nine more are in plea discussions, according to US Attorney Joseph Nocella's July 2026 letter.

Who is the US Attorney prosecuting the case?

Joseph Nocella, US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, is leading the prosecution out of federal court in Brooklyn.

Has anyone already pleaded guilty?

Yes. Former NBA player Damon Jones pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud conspiracy on April 28, 2026, and is due to be sentenced in January 2027.

Are Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier pleading guilty?

No. Both have pleaded not guilty and are not currently expected to take plea deals, unlike the dozen defendants now moving to admit wire fraud.

How much money was involved?

Prosecutors allege the rigged games netted more than 7 million dollars, with at least one victim losing 50,000 dollars in a single game.

Updated July 2026. This is a developing story and reflects court filings and prosecution statements reported as of July 15, 2026.