On Thursday, federal prosecutors announced charges against more than 30 people — including several Mafia members and two former pro basketball players — who they say were involved in illegal rigged poker matches that defrauded victims out of millions starting in 2019. According to the indictment, which was filed along with a separate indictment accusing the players of throwing sports betting, this scheme involved rigged card-shuffling machines and specially designed contact lenses or sunglasses that allowed them to read markings on the backs of playing cards. Chauncey Billups, head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, and Damon Jones, a former Cleveland Cavaliers player, allegedly served as “face cards” in the scheme to attract wealthy people to play in the rigged games in exchange for a

See Full Page