How Poker Scam Steals Millions

Celebrities, professional sports stars and wealthy gamblers sit down at a table hoping to win big in a game of Texas Hold’em.

But they didn’t know that it was almost impossible. They were allegedly “fished” by the Mafia 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 hands.

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

The plan, described by US lawyers as “reminiscent of a Hollywood movie”, was scrapped.na sprawling federal investigation that led to more than 30 arrestsMembers of La Costra Nostra crime families include 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 were announced Thursday in the scheme, including an alleged basketball betting plot, in which professional NBA players are accused of faking injuries to influence betting odds.

The underground poker scheme began in early 2019, prosecutors say, and was allegedly run by the Mafia — specifically members of notorious crime families including Bonanno, Gambino, Lucchese and Genovese. According to prosecutors, a cut of the profits helped fund their criminal enterprise.

Former professional athletes, described by prosecutors as “face cards,” were enlisted to aid the scheme and lure victims into playing.

High-profile celebrities — such as Billups or Jones — would be recruited into illegal, underground poker games where tens of thousands of dollars were on the line, lured by the chance to play with a wealthy, “unwanted victim,” prosecutors alleged.

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

Advanced wireless technology was also used to cheat players during the game, usually in Texas Hold ‘Em.

Technology was everywhere – an X-ray table that read any face-down card, analyzers inside chip trays, ragged shuffling machines that read the cards to predict who’s hand would be good, and pre-marked cards that allowed those wearing special sunglasses and contact lenses to read what was in each hand.

Hidden cameras — built into tables and light fixtures — also helped convey information to those aiding in the plot, officials say.

Then there was also a sophisticated method of communicating and rigging the game, prosecutors alleged.

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

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

Officials estimate that each game will cost tens or millions of dollars.

Prosecutors say the defendants allegedly laundered funds from the scheme through cryptocurrencies, cash exchanges and shell companies.

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

“This alleged scheme wreaked havoc across the country, exploiting the notoriety of some and the pockets of others to finance Italian crime families,” said FBI Acting Assistant Director Christopher Raya.

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

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