FBI Unveils High-Tech Gambling Scheme Involving NBA Players
A federal investigation has uncovered a sophisticated cheating scheme involving NBA players and other individuals who allegedly used advanced technology to rig poker games. The FBI has released documents detailing how the conspiracy operated, including the use of concealed card-shuffling machines, electronic chip trays, and X-ray tables to manipulate game outcomes.
According to the documents, the conspirators used a card-shuffling machine equipped with hidden technology to read the cards in the deck, predict which player at the table had the best poker hand, and relay that information to an off-site operator. The operator then communicated the data back to a lead conspirator at the table, who used signals to inform other participants about the best plays.
Other technologies reportedly used in the scheme included electronic chip trays that could secretly read cards placed on the table, card analyzers that detected which cards were on the table, and invisible markings on cards that could only be viewed with specialized contact lenses or glasses. These technologies allowed the conspirators to gain an unfair advantage and manipulate the game outcomes to their benefit.
NBA Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, and retired NBA player Damon Jones were among those implicated in the scheme. Billups, who earned over $100 million in his career, was allegedly used as a celebrity figure to attract competitors to the rigged poker games. Some victims reportedly lost hundreds of thousands of dollars during these games, while the conspirators allegedly earned significant sums through their illegal activities.
The FBI has arrested over 30 individuals in connection with the scheme, which has been described as one of the most brazen sports corruption cases since the legalization of online sports betting in the U.S. U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. stated that the technology used was relatively accessible, with the conspirators modifying off-the-shelf shuffling machines to achieve their illegal objectives.
The scheme reportedly spanned multiple years, with Billups and others allegedly orchestrating rigged games in Las Vegas and other locations. The FBI’s indictment and the documents provided by the agency highlight the extent of the conspiracy and the technological means used to deceive players and manipulate the game’s outcomes.