DOJ details tech allegedly used in poker scandal tied to NBA, mob

The Ministry of Justice detailed the expertise allegedly utilized by NBA stars, organized crime members and their associates to rig high-stakes poker video games and defraud victims of tens of millions of {dollars}.

An array of refined tools, together with modified sliding machines, wi-fi communications, a chip tray analyzer and an

“For years, these people allegedly ran unlawful poker video games, utilizing refined expertise and enlisting present and former NBA gamers to cheat folks out of tens of millions of {dollars},” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch mentioned in an announcement. “This advanced scheme was so far-reaching that it concerned members of 4 of the organized crime households, and when folks refused to pay as a result of they have been being defrauded, these defendants did what organized crime has all the time finished: they used threats, intimidation and violence.”

Terry Rozier of the Miami Warmth was arrested Thursday for his alleged involvement in unlawful playing. (Tomas Diniz Santos/Getty Pictures)

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The instruments and the way they have been allegedly used to govern video games, in line with the DOJ’s indictment:

Modified sliding machines

Though they appeared regular, these machines had hidden parts that gave the members of this plan a bonus.

In accordance with the grievance, in a typical legit poker sport, a seller makes use of a shuffling machine to randomly shuffle the playing cards earlier than dealing them to all gamers in a selected order. However within the rigged video games, the shuffling machines contained hidden expertise that allowed them to learn all of the playing cards within the deck earlier than they have been dealt.

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Portland Path Blazers head coach Chauncey Billips was arrested Thursday for his alleged involvement in unlawful playing. (Steph Chambers/Getty Pictures)

Wi-fi communication

As a result of the playing cards have been all the time dealt to the gamers in a sure order, the machines might successfully decide which participant would have the profitable hand. That info was then reportedly relayed to somebody outdoors the venue, who then relayed that info again to the participant on the desk by way of cellphone. The participant programmed to win was referred to as the “quarterback” or “driver.”

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Chip tray analyzer

The defendants additionally allegedly used a chip tray analyzer. It resembles a daily poker chip tray, which shops the seller’s chips throughout a sport, however has been modified with hidden cameras, permitting him to secretly learn all of the playing cards.

FBI Director Kash Patel leads a press convention to announce arrests associated to unlawful sports activities betting and poker video games on October 23, 2025 in New York Metropolis. (Angela Weiss/AFP by way of Getty Pictures)

X-ray desk

The X-ray desk might learn playing cards face down on the desk. Nonetheless, the conspirators are additionally mentioned to have used particular contact lenses or glasses that might learn pre-marked playing cards.

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All of the units allowed the dishonest workforce to know which participant would win every hand, permitting them to guess accordingly. In flip, the unsuspecting gamers would lose a big sum of money – in a single sport, typically tens or tons of of 1000’s of {dollars}, which the indictment alleges was funneled to organized crime households.