NBA Scandal: Former Player Damon Jones Arrested in FBI Sports-Gambling Probe
Damon Jones, a former NBA player and ex-Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach, has been arrested in connection with an FBI sports-gambling probe. Allegations suggest that Jones provided inside information to co-defendants for NBA wagers. Additionally, Jones and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups were reportedly involved in illegal poker games in New York, Florida, and Nevada with members of New York mafia families. Jones, Billups, and Terry Rozier are among six individuals charged in the investigation.
Jones, who played in the NBA for 11 years and for 10 different teams, joined Tyronn Lue's coaching staff in Cleveland after retiring in 2012. The probe involving Rozier is linked to a previous investigation that led to Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter being banned from the NBA for life due to suspicious betting activity related to his games. Porter was found to have leaked confidential information to bettors, manipulated his playing time for betting purposes, and placed bets on NBA games, resulting in his ban.
FBI director Kash Patel is scheduled to hold a press conference at 10 a.m. ET to provide further details on the arrests made in the investigation. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.