Poker Cheating: High-Tech Hustle Exposed

Poker, a game of skill and chance, has seen a dark side exposed. A group of people, including some well-known basketball players, were caught using high-tech tricks to cheat at poker. The FBI found out about this scheme and shared details about how it worked. The cheaters used special machines to read the cards. These machines could tell which player had the best hand and then sent this information to someone outside the game. This person would then tell the cheaters at the table who had the winning cards. It was like having a secret helper telling them exactly what to do. But that's not all. The cheaters also used other gadgets. There were special trays for poker chips that could secretly read cards. They even used marked cards and special glasses or contact lenses to see these marks. It was a high-tech operation designed to make sure they always won. The FBI called this one of the boldest cheating schemes they've seen since online sports betting became legal. The cheaters used everyday shuffling machines but altered them to read the cards. They also used hidden cameras and special lenses to see marked cards. Some of the cheaters were big names in basketball. Chauncey Billups and Damon Jones were allegedly used to attract other players to the rigged games. Billups even lost a hand on purpose to avoid suspicion. In one game, a victim was so star-struck by Billups that he seemed to want to lose to him. The cheating didn't go unnoticed for long. Over 30 people were arrested for their roles in these schemes. The FBI's investigation shows how far some people will go to cheat and win.