Former NBA player Damon Jones provided non-public injury information about the status of two players in NBA games, according to allegations listed in Thursday’s federal indictments related to a wide-ranging gambling scandal announced by FBI. Those players may have been LeBron James and Anthony Davis, based on public injury information USA TODAY Sports reviewed from the dates of those games.
An indictment that led to the arrest of Jones and current Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier alleges that between December 2022 and 2024 they were part of a scheme to defraud betting companies by providing and using non-public information related to NBA games. Jones is accused of selling non-public information for the purpose of placing illegal bets before at least two Los Angeles Lakers games during the 2022-23 and 2023-24 NBA seasons.
The Justice Department charges state Jones used his relationship and access with the Lakers and their top players to help orchestrate the operation, with specific reference to a Feb. 9, 2023 game between the Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks that occurred two days after James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
Jones allegedly sent a text message the morning of the game to alert gamblers that ‘Player 3’ would not be playing, according to the indictment. At the time, Player 3 had not yet been ruled out of the game.
James did not play on Feb. 9, 2023 due to ankle soreness, and the Lakers lost the game. Player 3 is identified in the indictment as ‘a prominent NBA player’ who Jones had been teammates with and coached. Jones played with James for the Cleveland Cavaliers over three seasons and served as an unofficial Lakers coach during the 2022-23 season, according to the indictment.
Jones is also alleged to have provided non-public information to bettors in connection with a Jan. 15, 2024 game involving the Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder. Jones, according to the indictment, claimed to have learned from a team trainer that ‘Player 4,’ identified by law enforcement officials as ‘one of the Lakers’ best players during the 2023-24 season,’ was injured and going to play limited minutes. ‘Player 4’ had previously been designated as probable on the team’s injury report.
Jones allegedly shared the information for gambling purposes and received a $2,500 payment through peer-to-peer mobile payment. One co-defendant, Marves Fairley, placed a $100,000 bet on the Lakers to lose the game, according to the indictment. However, ‘Player 4′ wound up playing and the Lakers won. Davis was the only Lakers’ player listed as probable before the Jan. 15, 2024 game and finished with 27 points and 15 rebounds.
Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier is also implicated in the indictment for manipulating his performance in a March 23, 2023 game between the Charlotte Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans. Rozier, then a member of the Hornets, is accused of telling another co-defendant that he was going to prematurely remove himself from the game. Rozier wound up playing less than 10 minutes before leaving with an injury.
Justice Department officials alleged on Thursday that more than $200,000 was bet on Rozier’s ‘under’ in the game.’
Joseph Nocella Jr., the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, called it ‘one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes since online sports betting became widely legalized in the United States.’
The FBI secured multiple indictments for more than 30 people related to their alleged role in an explosive gambling scandal that rocked the NBA. Jones is also implicated in an illegal poker scheme tied to the Mafia that led to the arrest of Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups on Thursday.
The NBA placed Billups and Rozier on ‘immediate leave’ after they were indicted. Charges stemming from the wide-ranging investigation include wire fraud conspiracy, illegal gambling, money laundering, robbery and extortions.
(This story was updated to add a photo gallery.)
