Pablo Torre is reporting that former NBA star Kevin Garnett was among several ex-professional athletes who attended private poker games allegedly organized by individuals later indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice in “Operation Royal Flush.”
Torre shared the news on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “A number of former pro athletes played at private poker games organized by those indicted by the DOJ in ‘Operation Royal Flush.’ One of them — according to multiple sources with direct knowledge of a game that took place in 2019 — was Kevin Garnett.”
According to Torre, the game took place in Los Angeles in 2019. A source close to Garnett told him that the retired NBA champion initially believed he was attending an “afterparty,” not a poker event. The source added that Garnett chose to leave early upon realizing the nature of the gathering. Torre also reported that Garnett has not been contacted by federal authorities and is not accused of wrongdoing. Representatives for Kevin Garnett have not publicly commented on Torre’s report.
“Operation Royal Flush” is a federal investigation targeting an alleged illegal gambling and money laundering network that included high-stakes poker games attended by celebrities, athletes, and wealthy figures. The DOJ announced multiple indictments earlier this week tied to the operation.
The indictments allege that the mafia-organized card games used present and former athletes as "Face Cards" to draw in unsuspecting players. The games were then rigged; and threats, intimidation, and violence were used if losers didn't pay up.
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups was among the people charged in the case. Billups made a court appearance before leaving without answering questions from the media, but Billups’s attorney did push back on the allegations.
“Anyone who knows Chauncey Billups knows he is a man of integrity; men of integrity do not cheat and defraud others,” attorney Chris Heywood said in a statement to ESPN.