The NBA is reportedly asking players and several teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers, to hand over their cellphones and documents as part of a massive investigation into illegal sports betting.
The league has hired an outside law firm, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, following pressure from Congress after the Department of Justice brought charges against Portland Trailblazers head coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and former player and coach Damon Jones in two separate cases, according to The Athletic.
One case involves allegations of illegal sports betting while the second deals with what federal prosecutors are calling a years-long scheme to swindle millions of dollars from high rollers in allegedly rigged poker games.
Investigators from the firm are expected to probe the Lakers players, including star player LeBron James, a former teammate and trainee of Jones, who gave him special access to the team, according to the report.
Lakers assistant trainer Mike Mancias and executive administrator Randy Mims are reportedly cooperating and voluntarily handed their phones to investigators. Both Mancias and Mims are also close to James, according to the report.
“The NBA engaged an independent law firm to investigate the allegations in the indictment once it was made public,” an NBA spokesman told The Athletic. “As is standard in these kinds of investigations, a number of different individuals and organizations were asked to preserve documents and records. Everyone has been fully cooperative.”
The Independent has requested comment from the Lakers.
Mims, 50, has been a close friend of James since they were in high school. Mancias has been his trainer for more than two decades.
James, Mancias and Mims have not been accused of any crimes or named in either of the two federal indictments.
Jones, however, was arrested last month and is accused of selling private injury information to gamblers about two prominent Lakers players on at least two occasions.
Jones was accused of using his close relationship to a “prominent NBA player” to gain information that he would later sell to professional gamblers.
Prosecutors claim that on February 9, 2023, Jones told bettors to place a “big bet” on the Milwaukee Bucks, who were playing against the Lakers. Jones reportedly told the bettors that the unnamed star player would be out of the game – which James would end up not playing in, according to the report.
In another instance, Jones allegedly sold information about a different player who was injured. Federal prosecutors said Jones said he learned from the first player that the other star player was injured.
Jones, who was named in both federal indictments, pleaded not guilty during an appearance in federal court in Brooklyn earlier this month.
