Ammar Awawdeh, a key figure in a notorious poker and NBA gambling scandal, has finalized a plea deal. He is implicated in cases that resulted in the arrests of notable individuals including Jontay Porter, Terry Rozier, Malik Beasley, Chauncey Billups, and Damon Jones, alongside members of organized crime families.
Awawdeh, 34, is believed to be affiliated with the Gambino crime family and is accused of both organizing and participating in fraudulent poker games. Authorities assert that he was involved in stealing a shuffling machine during an armed robbery intended for these games.
He faces numerous charges, including wire fraud, operating an illegal gambling business, money laundering, and robbery. ESPN's David Purdum confirmed that Awawdeh has reached a plea agreement, although details regarding the terms remain undisclosed.
Evidence presented by prosecutors indicated that Awawdeh sent a message indicating he was “forcing” Porter to leave games early while playing for the Raptors. The information was then relayed to his co-conspirators for use in placing bets. Timothy McCormack, a friend of Awawdeh, received a two-year prison sentence in April after he pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. McCormack admitted to wagering based on the information supplied by Awawdeh.
Awawdeh's role extends to being a co-conspirator in the indictment against Beasley. According to a letter from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Awawdeh’s activities related to Beasley’s charges will likely influence his sentencing.
Awawdeh is at the center of a feud involving the Gambino and Bonanno crime families, who had initially agreed to collaborate on the poker games. However, tensions escalated when Awawdeh initiated his own games on the same night the Bonanno family was operating, leading to a violent confrontation and a subsequent warning to associates to avoid Awawdeh.
Last year, the New York townhouse at 80 Washington Place in Greenwich Village, where Awawdeh held these poker games, was listed for nearly $25 million.
In related developments, Terry Rozier, who is under scrutiny like Porter for allegedly manipulating games and informing bettors ahead of time, has expressed his desire to return to the NBA after being released by the Miami Heat in April. Despite maintaining his innocence, Rozier faces restrictions due to bail conditions that prohibit him from contacting certain witnesses. His attempts to amend these conditions were recently denied by Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall, who cited concerns over the potential monitoring of conversations during practices or games.
Adding to the complications, Rozier violated his bail conditions by sending a text to a barred contact, which led Judge DeArcy Hall to note that this indicated a disregard for court authority. She remarked, “What that tells me is that he believes he knows better than the court.” Judge DeArcy Hall, who previously sentenced McCormack, is now tasked with determining the consequences for Awawdeh's plea deal.
