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NBA Collects Phones From Lakers Staff in Expanding Gambling Investigation

The league hired an outside firm to preserve devices following federal indictments alleging use of nonpublic team information for betting.

Overview

  • Investigators from Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz requested devices and records from multiple teams, including more than 10 Lakers employees, according to league sources.
  • Lakers assistant trainer Mike Mancias and executive administrator Randy Mims voluntarily provided their phones and are cooperating, and neither they nor LeBron James has been charged or named in filings.
  • A league spokesman said an independent investigation began after the indictments became public and that individuals and organizations were asked to preserve documents and records.
  • The internal probe is tied to federal cases naming Terry Rozier, Chauncey Billups and former Lakers staffer Damon Jones, who was arrested and pleaded not guilty on Nov. 6 in Brooklyn.
  • Prosecutors allege Jones twice sold injury information related to Lakers availability on Feb. 9, 2023 and Jan. 15, 2024, and league sources say stricter injury-status reporting rules are under consideration as Congress presses for safeguards.