In a federal case involving mafia associates and NBA players, like Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier, the first crack has appeared. And it comes from a former member of LeBron James’s orbit.

Damon Jones wants to enter a guilty plea in the insider trading and gambling case filed by the Department of Justice last fall. Authorities allege he sold confidential information to sports bettors.

Jones had entered an initial plea of not guilty on November 6. The presiding judge in the Brooklyn federal case has since directed the matter to Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Marutollo for further proceedings.

Jones’s legal troubles are significant, as he was one of only three defendants named in both federal indictments, which charged 34 individuals—including mafia associates and other athletes—in two coordinated schemes.

The authorities thus positioned him at the center of a wide-reaching investigation spanning multiple overlapping networks. Most importantly, Jones is the first of the six accused in the case to express an intention to plead guilty.

Meanwhile, former Miami Heat and Charlotte Hornets guard Terry Rozier also faces charges under the same indictment. Damon Jones’ connection to James was reportedly one of the reasons he was on the FBI’s radar.

Damon Jones sold insider information on LeBron James

Prosecutors allege that on February 9, 2023, Jones urged a co-conspirator to place a bet on the Milwaukee Bucks before sensitive information—specifically that a key player would be unavailable—became public. That same night, LeBron James missed the Los Angeles Lakers matchup due to ankle soreness, a fact that aligns closely with the timeline referenced in the communication.

Jones’s guilty plea could be the key that unlocks the next phase of the investigation, potentially forcing other defendants to cooperate and revealing the true scope of the gambling ring’s influence within professional sports.