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Read Full BioFormer NBA player and coach Damon Jones and tipster Marves Fairley were both released on $200,000 bail after pleading not guilty to charges in the betting and poker scandals that have engulfed the NBA.
Jones’ financial difficulties have prevented him from hiring his own attorney, but he was able to post a $200,000 bond secured by his parents’ Texas home. He submitted his plea of not guilty in a Brooklyn court. His assigned attorney, Kenneth Montgomery, did not respond when contacted for comment.
As part of the bail conditions, the judges in the two separate cases ordered Jones not to gamble. Assistant U.S. Attorney Clay Plummer requested the conditions, stating, “We ask that he refrain from gambling, including online games. He has a very serious gambling problem.”
Tipster Marves Fairley, who ran the tout subscription service Vezino Locks, appeared alongside Jones in federal court Thursday and also pleaded not guilty to the charges. His $200,000 bond was guaranteed by his wife, his pastor, and a local school superintendent.
Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier have not yet entered a plea in the case. They are scheduled to appear in court on November 24. Meanwhile, Anthony Ruggiero Jr., an alleged member of the Genovese Crime Family had his bond application for $5 million denied.
Robert Stroud, who allegedly recruited the “face cards,” including Billups and Jones, to play in the poker games, was ordered to remain on home confinement due to a prior conviction of reckless homicide. Stroud killed a man during a poker game in March 1994. An initial charge of murder was reduced as Stroud argued he shot the man in self-defense through a locked door, believing he was a robber.
Jones Accused of Providing Inside Information to Bettors
When working as a coach for the Lakers in 2023, Jones allegedly sent a message urging gamblers to “get a big bet on Milwaukee tonight” because LeBron James was going to be out. Milwaukee beat the Lakers in the February 2023 game, 115-106.
He is also accused of sending information to gamblers that Anthony Davis would sit out a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Tipster Fairley is alleged to have paid Jones $2,500 for the information, through Eric Earnest, also named in the indictments.
However, Davis not only played but scored a game-high 27 points to lead the Lakers to victory. Fairley reportedly placed a losing $100,000 bet on the Thunder. After the match, he then demanded that Jones pay back the money. It has not been revealed whether he did or not.
Jones is also named in the rigged poker indictment as part of the “cheating teams” that used technology, including X-ray tables, secret cameras, and an altered card shuffler to ensure the “fish” in the games lost huge sums of money.
The US District Attorney’s Office revealed text messages that showed Jones requesting an advance on payment for participating in the games. He sent a message to Robert (Rob) Stroud asking for a “10k advance” for participation in the “job.”
Jones Secured Loans With NBA Championship Ring Amid Gambling Debts
Jones’ gambling problem has plunged the player into deep financial problems despite earning more than $20 million in his NBA career. The New York Post reported that he even had to use his only NBA Championship ring as collateral to secure a $10,000 loan.
Jones won the ring while working as an assistant coach for the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers team, which included James. He is accused of leveraging his friendship with James for financial gain, not only by sharing his injury status, but also by name-dropping the player at casinos.
Michael Osborne, a professional gambler and sports bettor, said Jones could often be seen at the ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, boasting about his friendship with James to try to land favors. Osborne said, “He was a bad, degenerate gambler.”
His gambling problems led to Jones filing for bankruptcy in 2013, in which he listed a pet Yorkshire Terrier dog as an asset valued at $1.
Fairley Released, but Charges Mounting for Providing Insider Tips
Fairley was also released on bail, but the tipster faces mounting charges alleging that he used insider information for his tipping subscription service.
In addition to paying Jones for information related to James and Davis, Fairley is accused of paying $100,000 for a tip that Rozier was going to exit a game early while playing for the Charlotte Hornets.
The tipster, who flaunts a lavish lifestyle on his Instagram account, also leveraged a relationship with an unnamed Orlando Magic player to obtain lineup information when Orlando hosted the Cavaliers. The indictment says that Fairley placed an $11,000 winning bet on Cleveland to cover the spread after receiving the leaked information.
The indictment also cites two games where Jontay Porter feigned injury to exit the match, alleging that Fairley paid to obtain this information. Porter is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to wire fraud.
In total, seven games were named in the indictment, but these appear to be the tip of the iceberg. Fairley’s Instagram tipping service indicates that he placed bets exceeding $100,000 on other NBA games.
In addition, he has been identified as the “main syndicate suspect” in an investigation into suspicious betting on NCAA basketball games. The FBI said indictments are forthcoming in the case, which involves suspicious bets placed on matches involving Eastern Michigan, New Orleans, Mississippi Valley State, North Carolina A&T, and Stony Brook from last season.
As the cases progress in court, more details will undoubtedly emerge regarding the extent of match-fixing and insider information problems across the NBA and NCAA.
