2 GA Men In Mafia-Linked Rigged Poker Games Indicted: Reports

MACON, GA — Two Georgia men were among the more than 30 people part of a sweeping indictment that targeted suspected rigged poker games involving NBA head coach Chauncey Billups and other members of the league.

Additionally, federal prosecutors say they arrested current Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier in connection with a fraudulent sports betting scheme involving players' personal information.

Former Cleveland Cavalier combo guard and NBA coach Damon Jones was indicted in both cases, New York-based U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said.

Tony Goodson, 52, of Forsyth, and John Mazzola, 43, of Gray, were arrested Thursday in connection with the rigged poker game accusation against Billups, WXIA-TV reported.

The case also involved the Gambino, Bonano and Genovese organized crime families of La Cosa Nostra, Nocella and FBI Director Kash Patel said.

Tony Goodson, 52, of Forsyth, and John Mazzola, 43, of Gray, were arrested Thursday in connection with the rigged poker game accusation against Billups, WXIA-TV reported.

Billups and Jones were "face cards" used to rig poker games in Miami, Manhattan, the Hamptons and Las Vegas, Nocella said Thursday.

The victims in these cases were known as "fish" and were convinced to participate in the games for the chance to play against former professional athletes known as "face cards," Nocella said. Billups spent 17 years playing for teams in Boston, Toronto, Denver, Minnesota, Detroit and New York.

The victims were unaware that everyone, from the dealer to the card players, were in on the scheme, Nocella said.

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"Once the game was underway, the victims were taken for hundreds of tens of thousands of dollars per game," he said.

Off-the-shelf shuffling machines were altered to read cards and determine which player had the best poker hand. Nocella said this information was relayed to an inside operator who would then give that information to the "quarterback" at the table, who would then secretly signal that information to others at the table.

Poker trip tray analyzers with cameras were used to read cards using a camera, and special contact lenses that could read pre-marked cards were utilized, Nocella said. An X-ray table was employed to read cards that were face down on the table, he added.

Prosecutors accused Goodson of furnishing the high-technological devices, and Mazzola was accused of participating in the rigged poker games and a linked gunpoint robbery, WXIA-TV reported, citing the indictment.

The two men, along with Queens resident Kenny Han, had their first federal court appearance Thursday in Macon, WMAZ reported.

The trio were charged with multiple counts of wire fraud, illegal gambling and conspiracy, WXIA reported.

Nocella said violent acts and extortions were implemented, including the "gunpoint robbery of a person to obtain a rigged shuffling machine." The extortions were applied to ensure victims repaid gambling debts, he said.

Former Toronto Raptors star Jontay Porter was previously charged in connection with the suspected sports betting scheme, Nocella said.

The suspected theft, fraud and robbery spanned tens of millions of dollars, Patel said. Charges ranged from wire fraud to money laundering to extortion to robbery to illegal gambling.

The New York City games were supported by the Bonano, Gambino and Genovese organized crime families of La Cosa Nostra, Nocella said. They would assist in organizing the games and enforcing the collection of debts, getting a share of the money, he said.

"Your winning streak has ended," Nocella said. "Your luck has run out. Violating the law is a losing proposition, and you can bet on that."