Federal investigators have uncovered an intricate scheme to rig high-stakes poker games, which allegedly netted tens of millions of dollars for those behind it, including prominent NBA figures and members of organized crime syndicates. The operation involved sophisticated technology and deceit, with players unknowingly participating in rigged games against other wealthy players.
According to court documents, the scheme began in April 2019, when Robert "Black Rob" Stroud and his co-conspirators devised a method to rig illegal poker games using card-shuffling machines that could read the order of cards dealt. The information was relayed to an off-site operator, who then signaled to other players at the table on how to proceed.
To maintain the charade, players were often enticed by the presence of high-profile former professional athletes, known as "face cards," including Basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and former NBA player and coach Damon Jones. Players were also given special contact lenses or glasses that would allow them to see marked cards.
The scheme's complexity was highlighted in one game, where defendant John Mazzola played quarterback, signaling to other players on how to act based on the cards he held. In another instance, defendants Sophia Wei and Eric "Spook" Earnest texted with co-conspirators to coordinate their moves, occasionally allowing unsuspecting players to win.
The Mafia played a significant role in the scheme, providing support and protection for the operation, which was said to have involved two La Cosa Nostra crime families. The Gambino and Genovese crime families were allegedly involved in hosting high-stakes poker games, while the Bonanno family backed a game at 147 Lexington Ave.
One victim of the scheme, "John Doe No. 1," lost $1.8 million in games staged in June and July 2023. Others lost significantly more, with court documents showing that victims collectively lost at least $7.15 million.
Following his arrest, Billups appeared in court on Thursday and was released from custody, but faces substantial charges related to the scheme.
According to court documents, the scheme began in April 2019, when Robert "Black Rob" Stroud and his co-conspirators devised a method to rig illegal poker games using card-shuffling machines that could read the order of cards dealt. The information was relayed to an off-site operator, who then signaled to other players at the table on how to proceed.
To maintain the charade, players were often enticed by the presence of high-profile former professional athletes, known as "face cards," including Basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and former NBA player and coach Damon Jones. Players were also given special contact lenses or glasses that would allow them to see marked cards.
The scheme's complexity was highlighted in one game, where defendant John Mazzola played quarterback, signaling to other players on how to act based on the cards he held. In another instance, defendants Sophia Wei and Eric "Spook" Earnest texted with co-conspirators to coordinate their moves, occasionally allowing unsuspecting players to win.
The Mafia played a significant role in the scheme, providing support and protection for the operation, which was said to have involved two La Cosa Nostra crime families. The Gambino and Genovese crime families were allegedly involved in hosting high-stakes poker games, while the Bonanno family backed a game at 147 Lexington Ave.
One victim of the scheme, "John Doe No. 1," lost $1.8 million in games staged in June and July 2023. Others lost significantly more, with court documents showing that victims collectively lost at least $7.15 million.
Following his arrest, Billups appeared in court on Thursday and was released from custody, but faces substantial charges related to the scheme.
I'm still trying to wrap my head around how sophisticated this whole thing was. The use of card-shuffling machines and marked cards is just crazy! And the fact that high-profile players like Chauncey Billups were involved in it is wild. It's not surprising that victims lost a bunch of money, but $7.15 million is insane. 
I'm also surprised the Mafia got involved, I thought they were done with poker games...but I guess you can never underestimate their greed! 
. Like, who tries to cheat people out of millions? These NBA figures and organized crime members are literally crooks! I mean, I get that they're using some fancy tech to keep it hidden, but come on, there's always a way to sniff out the scam 
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. I'm all for a good game of poker, but not at the expense of others' hard-earned cash 
. Like, how many times do we have to see this stuff before people wake up? I swear, it's just a bunch of tech-savvy crooks trying to outsmart each other 
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. Maybe someone can finally bring some justice to all these poor victims 
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what's next?! some high school kid with a basic understanding of coding taking down a crime empire? 
what's even more shocking is that the mafia was involved too, providing protection and support for this massive scam 
it's just not right that some people get to walk away with tens of millions while others are left with nothing 
I'm surprised they got caught so soon. And what's even crazier is that some of these high-profile NBA players were involved, like Chauncey Billups? 
. I mean, think about it - we've got organized crime syndicates running poker game rigs and they're getting support from some of the most powerful people in the game 
. It's like they're above the law or something.
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. I mean, who needs a poker face when you can just wear special contact lenses to cheat?! 
This is some next-level organized crime stuff. $7.15 million lost by innocent players? Unbelievable 
. Billups faces substantial charges, but I'm more concerned about how many other high-profile figures might be involved... 
... but it wasn't funny or exciting to those who got taken advantage of.
. And the Mafia involvement is no surprise, I guess... crime families always seem to be involved in shady stuff.
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what really gets me is the fact that they used legit NBA figures to lure in players, like Chauncey Billups 
! And having former pro athletes like Chauncey Billups on board just adds to the absurdity 
. Now we've got AI and machine learning being used for good (like medical diagnosis) or bad (like deepfakes). This whole thing just feels like a throwback to the Wild West 
. Anyone who thinks they can get away with scamming others and getting rich off it, might want to think twice 
It's wild that Chauncey Billups, of all people, was part of this scheme. The use of card-shuffling machines and marked cards is straight outta a heist movie 
. And can you believe the amount of money being talked about - $7.15 million? 
. It's crazy that some people are using their fame and influence to scam others. The fact that the Mafia got involved is just on another level 
. I guess you can't trust everyone, especially when it comes to high-stakes poker games 
.