Meyer Lansky II gives inside look at how athletes can get tied up with mafia: 'It's a strong entity'

Meyer Lansky II talks to Fox News Digital about the allure of gambling, power, and mafia ties, offering insight into why athletes risk their careers through gambling schemes.

Two former NBA players turned coaches, one of whom is a Hall of Famer, were arrested Thursday after alleged involvement in a rigged poker scheme in which members of the La Cosa Nostra crime families were also listed as defendants.

Chauncey Billups and Damon Jones, the latter of whom is also a defendant in the sports betting case with Terry Rozier, were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

The two are alleged to have knowingly taken part in rigged poker games, being dubbed "face cards," who the Department of Justice said were "members of the Cheating Teams and received a portion of the criminal proceeds in exchange for their participation in the scheme."

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Chauncey Billups and Damon Jones were arrested on Thursday as part of an illegal poker scheme. (Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images; Bill Frakes/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

"Billups and Jones, in particular… were utilized to attract victims to the games because of their status as former professional athletes," the DOJ said.

The scheme resulted in victims losing at least $7.15 million dating back to April 2019, according to the Department of Justice.

With successful NBA careers, though, both playing and on the sidelines, one may wonder what could lead them to be allegedly wrapped up in such schemes.

"Well, they're risk-takers. Athletes like that, they’ve got a lot of adrenaline," Meyer Lansky II, the famous mobster's grandson, speculated in a Fox News Digital in a recent interview. "They think