How the Mafia’s Rigged Poker Scheme Worked: FBI Exposes Shocking Details in NBA Gambling Case
Prosecutors reveal how Mafia families and former NBA players like Chauncey Billups and Damon Jones used high-tech devices and threats to rig poker games across the U.S.
Here’s How the Poker Scheme Worked, According to Prosecutors
The players used advanced technology to cheat — and those who lost faced violence and extortion.
Federal prosecutors have uncovered jaw-dropping details of how Mafia families and former NBA stars allegedly joined forces in a multi-million-dollar rigged poker scheme, exposing one of the most elaborate gambling operations in recent memory.
The revelations came as part of federal indictments unsealed Thursday, following investigations into illegal sports betting and poker games that have shaken the basketball world.
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The “Face Cards”: Famous Players Recruited the Rich
To make the games look legitimate, Mafia organizers recruited former NBA players like Chauncey Billups and Damon Jones as “face cards” — well-known personalities whose presence would lure wealthy participants.
In exchange for their involvement, these ex-players received a cut of the illegal profits, prosecutors said. Their job was to invite high-rolling businessmen and celebrities into what appeared to be friendly, private poker games — but the tables were anything but fair.
How the Cheating Worked: Technology Straight Out of a Movie
Prosecutors detailed a scheme so sophisticated it seemed ripped from Ocean’s Thirteen.
At the heart of the operation were rigged card-shuffling machines, fitted with hidden technology capable of reading every card in the deck. This information was transmitted to an off-site handler, who then used a cellphone to communicate real-time instructions to an insider at the table.
That insider would then send secret signals — like tapping chips or touching specific body parts — to alert co-conspirators which hands to play or fold.
In some cases, hidden cameras were embedded in poker chip trays, and cards were marked in a way that could only be seen by players wearing special contact lenses or sunglasses.
These high-tech manipulations tilted every game in favor of the Mafia-backed players, netting them millions of dollars in illicit winnings.
When Players Lost — Violence Followed
The FBI reports that the rigged machines were so crucial to the scam that a gunpoint robbery was carried out to steal one particular model of the shuffler.
And when losing players couldn’t repay their debts, extortion and violent threats ensured they did. Victims were forced to hand over cash, property, or business shares to clear debts racked up in the fraudulent poker dens.
One victim reportedly lost over $1.8 million in the scheme, with total losses across multiple victims exceeding $7 million since 2019.
The Mafia’s Poker Dens: Hidden Across Major U.S. Cities
Federal investigators identified two primary Mafia-controlled poker operations:
The Bonanno Family: Hosted games at 147 Lexington Avenue, in Manhattan’s Kips Bay neighborhood.
The Gambino Family: Operated games at 80 Washington Place in the West Village.
Other events took place in Las Vegas, Miami, and the Hamptons, drawing in wealthy guests who believed they were playing in exclusive, legitimate high-stakes poker events.
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A Network of Organized Crime and Celebrity
According to prosecutors, the Mafia relied on a network of athletes, influencers, and insiders to maintain the illusion of legitimacy.
Former players like Billups and Jones allegedly used their fame to recruit victims, while Mafia families handled logistics, security, and enforcement.
Investigators say the collaboration between organized crime and professional athletes represents a new front in sports-related corruption, blending celebrity appeal, digital technology, and Mafia muscle to create an almost unbeatable scam.
The Bigger Picture
This case is part of a wider FBI investigation into gambling-related corruption involving NBA players and organized crime families. It also connects to other scandals, such as the Jontay Porter betting case and a series of illegal sports betting operations uncovered earlier this year.
Conclusion
As the investigation continues, prosecutors say more indictments could follow. The shocking mix of sports stardom, Mafia tactics, and digital cheating devices has raised urgent questions about the integrity of gambling in professional sports and the growing role of technology in fraud.
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