Celebrities, professional sports stars, and wealthy gamblers sat at a table hoping to win big in a game of Texas Hold 'Em. However, they were allegedly targeted by mafia members in an elaborate poker gambling scheme involving X-ray card tables, secret cameras, analysers, and sunglasses and contact lenses designed to read hands.
Prosecutors claim that these 'unwitting' victims were defrauded of at least $7 million in poker games, with one individual losing approximately $1.8 million. The scheme, described as 'reminiscent of a Hollywood movie,' was dismantled through a federal investigation that led to over 30 arrests, including members of La Cosa Nostra and former NBA players like Chauncey Billups and Damon Jones.
The fraudulent operation allegedly began as early as 2019 and involved notorious mafia families such as the Bonnano, Gambino, Lucchese, and Genovese. Many victims were attracted to play poker with high-profile celebrities, while the actual games were rigged from the ground up.
Sophisticated technology played a major role, including an X-ray table that scanned face-down cards and wireless devices that communicated with off-site conspirators. The information was relayed to players at the table, effectively allowing them to cheat their opponents.
Authorities allege that the scheme not only exploited rich gamblers but also laundered funds through cryptocurrency and shell companies, financing organized crime operations. Both Billups and Jones have been arrested, with their respective teams aware of their involvement in the ongoing investigation.
