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Damon Jones Pleads Not Guilty in Twin Federal Gambling Cases

Court filings signaled possible plea negotiations ahead of a Nov. 24 conference.

Overview

  • Jones was released on a $200,000 bond secured by his parents’ Texas home under strict no‑gambling, limited‑travel, and no‑contact conditions regarding organized crime and co‑defendants.
  • He faces wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy charges in both an alleged NBA insider‑information betting scheme and a Mafia‑linked rigged poker operation.
  • Prosecutors say Jones texted before a Feb. 9, 2023 LakersBucks game to place a “big bet on Milwaukee” based on nonpublic news that LeBron James would sit, and later took $2,500 for an Anthony Davis tip that proved wrong.
  • In the poker case, prosecutors allege Jones served as a “face card” to lure high‑rollers to games fixed with altered shufflers, hidden cameras, special glasses, and X‑ray tables that generated millions in illicit proceeds.
  • A judge noted potential plea discussions on the record, and Jones is due back in Brooklyn federal court for a preliminary conference later this month.