The ‘mind-blowing’ poker scam uses X-ray tables, high-tech goggles and NBA players

Celebrities, professional sports stars and wealthy gamblers sat at the same table hoping to win big in a game of Texas Hold ‘Em.

But they didn’t know it was almost impossible. They were “fish” allegedly targeted by the mob in an elaborate poker gambling scheme involving X-ray card tables, secret cameras, chip tray analyzers and sunglasses and contact lenses that could read their hand.

In what sounds like a plot from the movie Ocean’s Eleven, prosecutors say these “unwitting” victims were conned out of at least $7m (£5.25) in poker games – with one man losing at least $1.8m.

The scheme, which U.S. prosecutors described as “reminiscent of a Hollywood movie,” was busted iof a widening federal investigation that led to more than 30 arrestsincluding members of La Costra Nostra crime families, Portland Trail Blazers basketball coach Chauncey Billups, and former National Basketball Association (NBA) player Damon Jones.

FBI Director Kash Patel called it a “mind-boggling” fraud scheme that defrauded victims in New York, Miami, Las Vegas and other US cities.

The arrests in the scheme were announced Thursday along with those in an alleged basketball betting conspiracy in which professional NBA players are accused of faking injuries to influence betting odds.

The underground poker scheme began as early as 2019, prosecutors say, and is believed to be run by the Mafia — specifically, members of prominent crime families including Bonanno, Gambino, Lucchese and Genovese. A cut of the profits, prosecutors say, helped finance their criminal enterprise.

Former professional athletes, described by prosecutors as “face cards,” were recruited to assist in the scheme and lure victims into gambling.

Lured by the chance to play with a high-profile celebrity — such as Billups or Jones — a wealthy, “unwitting victim” would be recruited into illegal, underground poker games where tens of thousands of dollars were at stake, prosecutors said.

Unbeknownst to the lured players — referred to in the scheme as “fish” — everyone around them was involved in the elaborate scam, from the players to the dealers, even the technology used to shuffle the deck and count the chips, according to a lengthy federal indictment.

Sophisticated wireless technology has also been used to cheat players during games, most commonly in Texas Hold ‘Em.

Technology was everywhere—an X-ray table that read each face-down card, analyzers in chip trays, a mounted shuffling machine that read the cards and predicted who would have the best hand, and pre-marked cards that allowed those wearing special sunglasses and contact lenses to read what was in everyone’s hands.

Secret cameras — built into tables and light fixtures — also helped transmit information to those aiding in the plot, authorities say.

Then there was also a sophisticated method of communication and game manipulation, prosecutors said.

Information from the game would be sent to an off-site conspirator — called an “operator” by prosecutors — who would then send information to another player sitting at the table who participated in the scheme — whom prosecutors call a “quarterback” or “driver.”

That person would then secretly tip off others, prosecutors say, effectively stealing money and making it impossible for victims to win.

Authorities estimate that each game will leave a casualty of tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Prosecutors allege the defendants laundered the scheme’s funds through cryptocurrency, money exchanges and shell companies.

Some of the profits went to those who aided in the plot, prosecutors say, and some went to fund the mob’s criminal enterprise.

“This alleged scheme wreaked havoc across the nation, using the notoriety of some and the wallets of others to fund Italian crime families,” said Christopher Raya, assistant director of the FBI.

Billups, who was accused of being a card face in fixed-card games, was arrested in Portland and placed on leave from the NBA. The Portland Trail Blazers said in a statement that they are aware of the allegations involving their head coach and are “cooperating fully with the investigation.”

Jones was arrested in connection with both the poker and NBA injury scheme. He is charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.