NFL HOFer Antonio Gates accused of participating in allegedly rigged Miami poker game 3 days after Chauncey Billups' arrest in NBA gambling scandal

The NBA's ongoing gambling controversy may have just claimed its first victim in the NFL circle.

On Sunday, journalist Pablo Torre claimed that Hall of Famer Antonio Gates had hosted and played in an allegedly rigged poker tournament organized in Miami by a certain Curtis Meeks, who was indicted by the federal government on Thursday as part of "Operation Royal Flush":

Pablo Torre 👀

@PabloTorre

@pablofindsout 🚨➕ Pro Football Hall-of-Famer and former Chargers tight end Antonio Gates hosted — and played in — an allegedly rigged Miami poker game, sources with direct knowledge tell @pablofindsout, that was organized by Curtis Meeks. Meeks was indicted by the federal government Thursday.

The development comes in the wake of multiple arrests made by the FBI on Thursday. Among those implicated were Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, and Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach Damon Jones.

A statement from Unites States Attorney Joseph Nocella stated that famous former players acted as "face cards" who would lure "fish" to poker games. There, the suspects would use the likes of "rigged shuffling machines and specially designed contacts lenses and sunglasses to read the backs of playing cards, which ensured that the victims would lose big."

It concluded:

"Today’s indictment and arrests sounds the final buzzer for these cheaters."

Gates was not among those arrested, and he has yet to comment on the matter.

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Man who lost $1 million in poker claims NFL player acted as front man in gambling scheme

In a related development, a purported victim of the NBA gambling ring narrated how he and some friends lost $1 million in a night. In an interview with the New York Post, he recalled how they had been invited to a poker game by a certain professional athlete - whom he identified as a former NFL player.

Then, the major blow happened:

“During the game, we were around a bunch of bad guys, and they were trying to suck every bit away from us. And they did. They did a good job, and I’m still shell-shocked to this day from that night.”

He then went on to condemn alleged ringleader Curtis Meeks as “the most despicable human I’ve ever been around in my entire life”:

“The level he will go to get other people’s money is just disgusting. I’ve since found out that what he’s done to us, he’s done to many other people. This was not a freak occurrence.”

The NFL, which issued a memo to players, coaches, and other employees in the wake of the scandal's revelation and is currently investigating possible collusion by the Baltimore Ravens on Lamar Jackson's injury status, has so far declined to give any comment on the account.