Mafia‑Backed Poker Ring Rigged $7M; Stars Arrested

Federal prosecutors say a mafia‑backed illegal poker ring run out of New York enlisted celebrity athletes and members of four crime families to rig high‑stakes games that siphoned off more than $7 million and prompted a 31‑person federal sting. The probe led to arrests, including Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and former NBA player Damon Jones, and alleges the scheme used sophisticated cheating technology — rigged X‑ray tables, modified shufflers, marked‑card contact lenses and an off‑site operator feeding winning hands — and at times threats or violence to collect debts. Multiple alleged victims reported large losses (one claimed nearly $1 million in a single night) after being lured to private games by a professional athlete acting as a “face” or front. Reporting identifies former NFL star Antonio Gates as the ex‑NFL player alleged to have hosted and played in a rigged Miami game, though Gates has not been charged and was not named in the indictment. Federal filings name Texas supplier Curtis Meeks as providing modified cheating machines and prosecutors allege money‑laundering elements; several defendants and their attorneys deny the allegations and say they will contest the charges.