Antonio Gates allegedly hosted and played in a rigged poker game in Miami: report
Antonio Gates allegedly hosted and played in a rigged poker game in Miami, according to a new report.
Reported by investigative sports journalist Pablo Torre On Sunday, the Hall of Famer hosted and participated in a game allegedly organized by Curtis Meeks, who has been indicted by federal prosecutors as part of the massive gambling scandal that has rocked the NBA.
Details were limited, but Torrey’s report follows A The Post reported on Saturdayin which one alleged victim said he and his friends were defrauded out of nearly $1 million, with a former NFL player serving as the “face card” of a game in which Meeks was a major participant.
The federal indictment unsealed last week named more than 30 people and painted a picture of separate sports betting and rigged poker schemes involving Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, Heat guard Terry Rozier and former NBA player Damon Jones.
Federal prosecutors alleged that Billups was involved as a “face card” for rigged poker games, used by mob-linked organizers to lure “fish” into the high-tech scheme.
Gates has not commented publicly on the report, and it is not clear whether his alleged involvement is related to the rigged poker scheme that federal prosecutors have been investigating.
Follow The Post’s latest news on the gambling scandal rocking the NBA:
The source who spoke with The Post could not determine whether the game he played in was part of the same poker ring, but said Meeks was participating in the game they were playing in and noted, “We would never have been there if it weren’t for the professional athlete.”
The person did not mention the athlete’s name in the newspaper report.
The FBI has arrested 31 people involved in a fake poker ring supported by organized crime families in New York City.
- Ernest Aiello – famous Bonanno mobster
- Nelson “Spanish J” Alvarez
- Louis “Law Up” Apicella
- Ammar “Flapper Poker” Al Awawda
- Saul Becher — Professional poker player
- Chauncey Billups – Portland Trail Blazers coach, NBA Hall of Famer and 2004 NBA champion
- Matthew “The Wrestler” Dadino
- Eric “Scary” Ernest
- Lee Fama — Professional poker player
- John Gallo
- Marco Garzon
- Thomas “Tommy Joyce” Gilardo – a famous Lucchese gangster who was indicted in 2013 for Porn star girlfriend hit
- Jimmy Gillette
- Tony “Black Tony” Goodson
- Kenny Hahn
- Shane “drunk” her
- Usman “Albanian Bruce” hottie
- Horatio is
- Chen “Scrolly” is
- Damon “Dee Jones” Jones – NBA player from 1998 to 2009
- Joseph Laney
- John “John South” Mazzola
- Curtis Mix
- Nicholas Minucci
- Michael Renzulli
- Anthony Ruggiero Jr
- Anthony “Doc” Schneiderman
- Robert “Black Robe” Stroud
- Seth Trustman
- Sophia “Bucky” Wee
- Julius Ziliani
The federal indictment sent shockwaves through the sports world and the idea of non-NBA athletes being involved is sure to shake things up even further.
Gates was just inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August after spending his entire career with the Chargers.
In 16 seasons in the NFL, Gates recorded 11,841 receiving yards and 116 receiving yards.
He last played in 2018.
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