Former NBA participant and coach Damon Jones plans to plead guilty to costs he supplied sports activities bettors with nonpublic details about accidents to stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, ABC News reported Thursday, citing a court docket submitting.
Jones’ change-of-plea listening to has not but been scheduled. Jones had pleaded not guilty to the costs in November. He would change into the primary defendant within the case to plead guilty.
Jones was charged with NBA participant Terry Rozier and others after federal prosecutors accused them of serving to a community of bettors who made wagers primarily based on nonpublic info.
Rozier, who was waived by the Miami Heat final week, has pleaded not guilty and has requested a decide to dismiss his costs. A listening to in his case is scheduled for later this month.
Jones, an NBA journeyman, earned greater than $20 million enjoying for 10 groups in 11 seasons from 1999 to 2009. He and James performed collectively with the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2005 to 2008, and Jones served as an unofficial assistant coach for James’ Los Angeles Lakers in the course of the 2022-23 season.
According to prosecutors, Jones offered or tried to promote nonpublic info to bettors that James was injured and would not be enjoying in a Feb. 9, 2023, sport in opposition to the Milwaukee Bucks, texting an unnamed co-conspirator: “Get a big bet on Milwaukee tonight before the information is out.”
James wasn’t listed on the Lakers’ damage report on the time of the textual content message, however the NBA’s profession scoring chief was later dominated out due to a lower-body damage, in accordance to prosecutors, and the Lakers misplaced the sport 115-106.
On Jan. 15, 2024, prosecutors stated, sports activities bettor Marves Fairley paid Jones roughly $2,500 for a tip that Davis, the Lakers’ ahead/middle on the time, would see restricted enjoying time in opposition to the Oklahoma City Thunder due to an damage.
Fairley positioned a $100,000 guess on the Thunder to win, prosecutors stated, however the tip was unsuitable. Davis performed his normal minutes, scored 27 factors and picked up 15 rebounds in a 112-105 Lakers win, prompting Fairley to demand a refund of his $2,500 payment, prosecutors stated.
Jones can also be dealing with costs he profited from rigged poker video games. He has pleaded not guilty to these costs.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
