Hall of Fame tight end Antonio Gates has denied any connection to mafia-linked rigged poker games following recent reports suggesting his involvement. The statement, issued by his business manager on Monday, came after Pablo Torre reported Sunday that Gates had hosted and participated in a rigged poker game in Miami organized by Curtis Meeks, who is among more than 30 people indicted last week in a sweeping FBI gambling investigation.
“Antonio Gates has not been involved nor has he been accused of any wrong doing, assertions to the contrary are false and without merit,” the statement from EAG Sports Management CEO Denise White read. “There will be no further comments on this matter.”
The probe also led to the arrests of NBA figures, including Portland Trailblazers coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and former player Damon Jones. The investigation revealed that Rozier allegedly shared insider information about player availability to inform bets on prop lines, while Billups and Jones were linked to sophisticated illegal poker operations.
These games allegedly used advanced cheating techniques, including rigged shuffling machines, marked cards and even X-ray contact lenses, to defraud participants, with ties to mafia-controlled operations.
Authorities described the poker operation as highly organized and deliberately deceptive, targeting unsuspecting players with games that appeared legitimate but were engineered to ensure certain outcomes. Participants like Billups and Jones were alleged to have facilitated these schemes, hosting games and using insider knowledge or technological aids to gain an unfair advantage. The FBI’s indictment emphasizes that the network of games was connected to La Cosa Nostra, the Italian mafia.
Gates’ name has surfaced only in reports without any supporting evidence of wrongdoing. He was not mentioned in the federal indictments.
Gates played 16 seasons with the San Diego and Los Angeles Chargers, spending his entire NFL career with the franchise. He made eight Pro Bowls, was a six-time All-Pro and ranks as the Chargers’ career leader in receptions (955), yards receiving (11,841) and receiving touchdowns (116), which also leads all tight ends in NFL history.
Gates was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2025, the first player to receive the honor without having played college football.
