Former New York Knicks big man Charles Oakley was arrested in Las Vegas on Sunday for committing -- or attempting to commit -- a fraudulent act in a gaming establishment, the Nevada Gaming Control Board said in a statement provided to ESPN on Thursday.
Oakley was arrested by Nevada Gaming Control Board Enforcement Agents at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. He was suspected of adding to or reducing his wager on a gambling game after the outcome was known, according to the board.
Further details of the incident were not made available, but TMZ reported that Oakley pulled back a $100 chip after he realized he was going to lose his wager.
Oakley was booked into the Clark County Detention Center without incident, the board said. He is scheduled to appear in court Aug. 7.
The violation is considered a Class B felony. If convicted of a first offense, the violator is subject to a sentence of 1-6 years in a state prison and a fine of no more than $10,000.
"This is not a significant matter and we expect it to be resolved quickly," Alex Spiro, Oakley's New York-based attorney, told ESPN.
Oakley, 54, played 19 seasons in the NBA, most notably as a key contributor to the Knicks over 10 seasons.
Oakley has an active civil suit against Madison Square Garden and Knicks owner James Dolan following his February 2017 forced removal from the arena by security and subsequent arrest.
Oakley was charged with misdemeanor assault and trespassing, among other charges. Oakley later agreed to a plea deal to have the charges dropped and subsequently filed the civil suit.
Oakley's suit alleges defamation and libel.
Information from ESPN's Ian Begley was used in this report.
