Former NBA player and coach Damon Jones is set to plead guilty in two federal cases linked to illegal gambling rings. A court order entered on Thursday refers his change of plea to a magistrate judge, with a hearing scheduled for April 28 in Brooklyn federal court. Jones faces charges involving sports betting tips and rigged poker games.
Damon Jones, who played and coached in the NBA, initially pleaded not guilty on November 6 to charges from two federal indictments unsealed last year. Those cases charged 34 people, including Jones in both, with schemes that involved alleged mafia figures and athletes. He is accused of sharing inside information with bettors and participating in poker games rigged against wealthy victims, where celebrities like NBA Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups drew in players as so-called 'face cards.' Jones' lawyer could not be reached for comment by CBS News, which first reported the expected plea change based on the court order filed Thursday and referred to Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Marutollo for the April 28 hearing at 11 a.m. ET in Brooklyn federal court.