Pro football Hall of Famer Antonio Gates denied taking part in the poker games that rocked the sports world.
The rigged poker games led to the arrest of Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups. Authorities haven’t charged the former Chargers tight end with any crime relating to the mafia-backed poker games. However, the operation used famous athletes to attract wealthy gamblers and more names are being leaked.
Former ESPN reporter and podcast host Pablo Torre alleged that Gates played and hosted one of the Miami games. Curtis Meeks allegedly organized the Miami games, and he was indicted by the federal government last week.
Torre also said NBA Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett appeared at one of the games. But he said Garnett did not play and left early. Lastly, Torre claimed Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue played in the same games as Billups in Vegas. But he said they played at separate tables.
In the wake of the claims, Gates released a statement through his business manager Denise White denying any involvement.
“Antonio Gates has not been involved nor has he been accused of any wrongdoing, assertions to the contrary are false and without merit,” White said. “There will be no further comments on this matter.”
Others Remain Silent
Neither Lue or Garnett have commented on their possible involvement in the games. It’s unknown if the NBA is investigating the matter.
According to investigators, the rigged games used several high-tech cheating methods. Some of those included rigged shuffling machines, wireless communications devices, and camera-equipped chip trays.
Investigators allege professional athletes, who were referred to as “face cards,” were used to lure wealthy players, which they referred to as “fish.” However, the FBI and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Joseph Nocella alleged that the athletes were aware of the cheating and received a percentage of the winnings.
“What the victims, the fish, didn’t know is that everybody else at the poker game – from the dealer to the players, including the face cards – were in on the scam,” said Nocella. “Once the game was underway, the defendants fleeced the victims out of tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars per game.”
Investigators also allege that the games were backed by the mob and violence was often used to collect debts. The entire investigation was known as “Operation Royal Flush,” and authorities stressed the investigation is still ongoing.
