Federal prosecutors have unsealed indictments in a major gambling investigation involving underground poker games that they say were rigged using advanced technology, and which used former NBA players and coaches to lure wealthy gamblers.
One prominent name is Chauncey Billups (head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers and NBA Hall of Famer), who is alleged to have acted as a “face card” — someone whose celebrity would attract high-stakes players to the games.
The scope of the scheme: the games involved organized crime families (such as the Gambino crime family, Bonanno crime family, Genovese crime family, and the Lucchese crime family) in New York, exploited wealthy players (“whales” or “fish”) in games advertised as legitimate but deeply manipulated.
How the scheme allegedly worked
The bait
The indictments allege that games such as the “Washington Place Game” and the “Lexington Avenue Game” in Manhattan were weekly gatherings of wealthy gamblers who believed they were playing “straight” (though illegal) high-stakes poker.
Celebrities and former NBA players were brought in as “face cards” — visible participants whose presence made the game seem legit and enticing. Billups is named, as is another former NBA guard Damon Jones.
The cheating technology
What makes this case particularly striking is the high level of technological manipulation allegedly used:
- Card-shuffling machines that were secretly modified so they could read the cards in the deck after shuffling and predict which player had the best hand.
- The information from these devices would be transmitted to an off-site operator, who then relayed it back to someone at the table (‘the quarterback’ or ‘driver’) who used covert signals to instruct other conspirators on the table how to bet.
- Additional devices included: electronic poker chip trays with cameras/analytics to read cards; special contact lenses or sunglasses worn by conspirators that allowed them to see pre-marked cards; even an X-ray-equipped poker table that could “see” face-down cards.
The payoff
Once the cheating team knew the cards and could steer bets, they would systematically win large amounts from the targeted players. The profits were then divided among the conspirators, including the face cards, the operators, and the organized-crime families. Losses for victims reportedly ran into millions.
Extortion, threats and intimidation were also part of the scheme, used to collect debts from victims who lost. Laundering of the illicit proceeds via shell companies and cryptocurrency was cited as well.
Significance and implications
- The case shows how legal grey-areas (illegal poker games) can be layered with sophisticated fraud, high-tech cheating and organized-crime involvement.
- The use of sports celebrities adds a level of social engineering: wealthy gamblers may be drawn by the chance to play alongside former stars, which lowers their guard.
- For the NBA and broader sports world, associations with illegal gambling, rigging and organized crime pose major integrity risks.
- It raises questions about oversight, enforcement, and how gambling-adjacent activities need stronger regulation, especially where advanced tech gives one side an unfair advantage.
Key questions ahead
- How far did the scheme spread (geographically, across states, and across time)? Some reports say multiple states and major hubs were involved.
- What will be the legal outcomes for the accused? While indicted, everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
- What controls will be put in place (both by gambling regulators and sports leagues) to prevent similar schemes?
- What happens to the reputation of the individuals involved and the professional organizations tied to them?
This investigation into rigged poker games is a striking example of how gambling fraud can combine technology, celebrity influence, and organized-crime infrastructure to pull off large scale schemes. Let me know if you’d like a breakdown of the indictments, individual defendants, or the specific technology involved.
