Source link : https://las-vegas-news.com/prosecutors-poised-to-offer-plea-deals-to-12-in-nba-mafia-poker-fraud-case/
A $7 Million Web of Deception (Image Credits: Media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com)
New York — Federal authorities plan to extend formal plea agreements to 12 defendants entangled in a mafia-backed operation that rigged high-stakes poker games with NBA personalities as key lures.[1][2]
A $7 Million Web of Deception
Prosecutors unveiled the intricate fraud last year, charging 31 individuals in a scheme that defrauded victims of more than $7 million across multiple cities.[2] High-rollers fell prey to fixed games orchestrated by organized crime associates who deployed cutting-edge cheating tools.
The operation centered on a Manhattan apartment on Lexington Avenue, but extended to Las Vegas, Miami, and the Hamptons. Wealthy players arrived expecting fair play, only to lose heavily in manipulated matches. Mafia members enforced debts through intimidation when victims resisted payment.[3]
Investigators gathered extensive evidence, including over 100,000 pages of financial records, surveillance photos, and footage from pole cameras at game sites. This mountain of data has pressured defendants toward resolutions.[1]
NBA Celebrities Turned ‘Face Cards’
Former professional basketball stars allegedly served as magnets for big spenders. Chauncey Billups, Hall of Famer and current Portland Trail Blazers head coach, faced charges for participating in cheating teams during rigged sessions.[1] He reportedly joined a 2019 Las Vegas game where a rigged shuffling machine cost one victim…
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Author : Matthias Binder
Publish date : 2026-03-05 08:26:00
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