X-ray tables, marked cards and the Mafia: How the FBI says poker games were rigged

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.

Wow! 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!

Ugh, can't believe this poker game rigging scandal . 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 .

And what's up with these "face cards" who think they can just show up and make everyone trust them? Chauncey Billups, you're better than this, dude . I'm all for a good game of poker, but not at the expense of others' hard-earned cash . It's like, basic integrity, guys.

And don't even get me started on these marked cards and special lenses . 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 .

Anyway, good on the investigators for busting this scheme and making these crooks accountable . Maybe someone can finally bring some justice to all these poor victims .

omg this is crazy!! like they actually rigged poker games and made millions off it what's next?! some high school kid with a basic understanding of coding taking down a crime empire? seriously though, how much did Billups get involved in this for the Gambino and Genovese to take him down?

this is just mind-blowing I can only imagine how tough it must be for these players who got scammed out of their life savings... $7.15 million is crazy and to think some of them were won over by famous faces, like Chauncey Billups what's even more shocking is that the mafia was involved too, providing protection and support for this massive scam I feel so bad for the victims, especially "John Doe No. 1" who lost $1.8 million it's just not right that some people get to walk away with tens of millions while others are left with nothing

Can you even believe how clever (or not) these guys were? Using card-shuffling machines and marked cards is basically the oldest trick in the book, and yet they thought they could get away with it for so long! 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, you'd think someone with his experience would be smart enough to stay out of this mess.

But the real question is, how many other people are still playing in these rigged games without realizing it? It's disgusting that organized crime syndicates were involved and people like John Doe No. 1 lost so much money. At least Billups is facing charges now, but what about all the other players who got taken advantage of?

It just goes to show that no matter how sophisticated you think your scheme is, there's always someone smarter coming along to take you down

Man, this poker game rigging scandal is like a mirror held up to our society . I mean, you got these rich people thinking they can just use tech and deceit to cheat their way to the top, while others are left with nothing but a pile of chips . And what's really concerning here is that we're not talking about just any ordinary poker game - we're talking about high-stakes games where the players are basically getting paid to lose .

But you know who's really got something to answer for? The politicians who let these shady characters run wild in our cities . 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.

And then you look at Billups' situation - a Hall of Famer caught up in this mess . He's got substantial charges against him, but what about the rest of us? How are we supposed to know that our politicians aren't just as corrupt?

This whole thing just feels like a big ol' mess, and I don't think anyone's really holding anyone accountable .

This is crazy I can only imagine how some of these people must be feeling right now - shock, anger, betrayal... it's like they got played by the best of them And those cards with marked info? That's just sickening How many lives did this scheme touch before it was all blown wide open?

This is wild lol , like I knew some of those NBA guys were shady but who knew they were in league with mobsters? The use of card-shuffling machines and marked cards is straight outta a movie script, I'm surprised it took this long to get caught. And poor "John Doe No. 1", losing $1.8 million is crazy , at least he's getting some justice now.

The thing that really got me was the use of high-profile "face cards" to lure in players. Like, Chauncey Billups and Damon Jones, guys I grew up idolizing? It just goes to show that you can't always trust a smile and a charm. And those special contact lenses or glasses, come on! That's some next-level deception right there .

Anyway, I'm glad the authorities were able to crack this case, it's definitely a dark side of the high-stakes poker world .

OMG, can you believe this is real?! The tech behind these rigged games is insane! Card-shuffling machines that read the order of cards? Mind-blown . And those "face cards" like Chauncey Billups and Damon Jones? Total masters of disguise . 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 . The Mafia's involvement adds an extra layer of complexity to the scheme. Kudos to the investigators for unraveling this intricate web of deceit . Billups faces substantial charges, but I'm more concerned about how many other high-profile figures might be involved...

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this whole thing ... all these big-time NBA players and organized crime guys involved in a massive poker scam? It's wild. I mean, Chauncey Billups, one of the greatest shooters in NBA history, allegedly participating in rigged games? It just doesn't sit right with me .

I'm not sure how anyone could keep this kind of scheme going for so long without getting caught, especially with all the tech and stuff involved. It's like they were playing a real-life video game ... but it wasn't funny or exciting to those who got taken advantage of.

It's also crazy that some of these players were given special glasses to see marked cards... what's next? Like, having superpower glasses or something . And the Mafia involvement is no surprise, I guess... crime families always seem to be involved in shady stuff.

Anyway, it's gonna be interesting to see how this all plays out and who gets charged with what . But for now, I'm just shook by the whole thing .

omg you can't believe this those rich ppl who are supposed to be role models are involved in something like this? i mean i get it poker is a game of skill and chance but rigging it for tens of millions is just wild. and using card-shuffling machines and marked cards, that's some next level stuff what really gets me is the fact that they used legit NBA figures to lure in players, like Chauncey Billups he's a legend, but if he was gonna get caught up in this he should've known better. and poor "John Doe No. 1" who lost $1.8 million, that's just harsh

Can you believe how sneaky they were? I mean, using card-shuffling machines and marked cards to rig games is straight outta a movie ! And having former pro athletes like Chauncey Billups on board just adds to the absurdity . The fact that people got taken in by this scheme and lost millions is just wild. And those "face cards" were literally the masterminds behind it all . I mean, who would have thought the NBA had players involved in something like this? The use of technology to deceive people is just so 2020s . 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 .

I'm shocked that some NBA players were involved in this stuff... like, I remember Chauncey Billups playing in the playoffs back in 2010 and he seemed like such a legit guy. And now, out of nowhere, he's allegedly rigging poker games with some mobsters? It just goes to show how much money and power can twist people's minds. The use of card-shuffling machines was genius, I guess... but not in a good way . I mean, who would have thought that something like that could be used for good or bad? Anyway, it's crazy to think about how many people got scammed out of millions. $7.15 million is a lot of cash

I'm not surprised high-stakes poker games are rigged, anyone who thinks they can outsmart the system is just getting played

This is wild . A bunch of rich people who thought they were above the law just got caught out by some clever investigators. I mean, who uses card-shuffling machines and fake glasses to cheat at poker? It's like something out of a movie . The fact that prominent NBA figures like Chauncey Billups got in on this scheme is just crazy . And the Mafia involved? That's just plain nasty . Anyone who thinks they can get away with scamming others and getting rich off it, might want to think twice .

omg this is wild like I cant even believe there were these high-stakes rigged poker games going on with nba players and mafia members... I'm literally shaking my head thinking about how deep it went and those special contact lenses or glasses? that's just crazy I mean what was the goal of it all? Was it just to make some extra cash or was there something more to it? and poor John Doe No. 1, losing $1.8 million... that's a lot of money can you even imagine having to deal with the stress and pressure of knowing you're playing rigged games?

I'm literally speechless about this one... who knew the NBA had players involved in organized crime? 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? That's like winning the lottery... or losing it . 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 .