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Miami, FL - Former NFL player Antonio Gates has denied reports linking him to an alleged rigged poker game in Miami that is part of a broader federal gambling investigation.
According to a report from sports journalist Pablo Torre, Gates allegedly hosted and played in a poker game organized by Curtis Meeks, one of more than 30 individuals indicted by federal prosecutors in connection with an ongoing gambling and sports betting probe.
The federal indictment describes schemes involving fixed poker games and illegal betting operations that reportedly used professional athletes to attract participants.
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One individual who claimed to have attended the game told investigators that he and his associates lost close to $1 million, saying they would not have joined the game without the involvement of a well-known athlete.
While the victim did not name Gates directly, Meeks was allegedly present during the game.
In a statement issued by his business manager, Denise White, Gates denied the allegations and said he has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
Court documents reviewed by reporters do not name Gates in the indictment, and authorities have not identified him as a subject of the federal case.
Gates, who played 16 seasons for the Chargers and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame earlier this year, last appeared in the NFL in 2018.
The federal investigation has also named several NBA figures, including Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier, as prosecutors continue to uncover details of the alleged gambling operations.