AT A GLANCE
- NBA coach Chauncey Billups and player Terry Rozier were arrested Thursday in a sprawling federal gambling investigation.
- The charges involve Mafia-backed poker games and fraudulent sports betting schemes across multiple states.
- More than 30 others were indicted in two related cases announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New York.
- Both Billups and Rozier have been placed on immediate leave by their NBA teams.
NBA Rocked by Mafia-Linked Gambling Scandal
In a stunning blow to the NBA’s credibility and new industry of sports betting, Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier were arrested Thursday, accused of participating in sprawling criminal schemes involving illegal sports betting and rigged poker games backed by Mafia families.
The twin indictments, unsealed in New York, detail overlapping conspiracies that prosecutors say raked in tens of millions of dollars through fraud, insider betting, and game manipulation. The arrests, which included former Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Damon Jones and more than 30 other defendants, mark one of the largest corruption scandals to hit U.S. sports since online betting became legal.
“This is one of the most brazen sports corruption cases since sports betting was legalized,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella. “Your winning streak has ended.”
Inside the Dual Schemes
Federal prosecutors allege that Billups, 49, conspired to fix high-stakes poker games across Las Vegas, Miami, Manhattan, and the Hamptons, in operations tied to La Cosa Nostra crime families. Meanwhile, Rozier, 31, was charged in a separate but related case for exploiting confidential NBA information to place fraudulent bets.
Authorities say Rozier and co-conspirators, including another unnamed NBA player and coach, used insider details about player injuries and game outcomes to profit on “prop bets” — wagers on individual player stats.
According to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, players in on the scheme sometimes left games early under false pretenses to swing outcomes. One cited example: Rozier allegedly left a March 2023 Hornets-Pelicans game with a “fake injury,” allowing conspirators to cash in on bets that he would underperform.
FBI: ‘Mind-Boggling Fraud’
At a Thursday press conference, FBI Director Kash Patel called the case “mind-boggling,” alleging the network had operated for years across multiple states, siphoning off millions through illegal bets and laundering profits.
“We’re talking about tens of millions of dollars in fraud and theft,” Patel said. “The Mafia’s fingerprints were all over this.”
Both Billups and Rozier were charged with wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy, among other counts. They are expected to appear in court later this week.
NBA Responds, Places Defendants on Leave
The NBA swiftly placed both men on administrative leave, emphasizing that the league was cooperating fully with federal investigators.
“We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness,” the NBA said in a statement. “The integrity of our game remains our top priority.”
Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, pushed back on the charges, calling the FBI’s early morning arrest of his client a “photo op.” He claimed Rozier “is not a gambler” and intends to fight the charges in court.
Billups, inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame last year and once celebrated as “Mr. Big Shot,” has not yet issued a statement.
A Dark Cloud Over Opening Week
The scandal breaks as the NBA’s 2025–26 season tips off, casting a long shadow over the league’s expanding relationship with the multi-billion-dollar betting industry.
Both the Trail Blazers and Heat opened their seasons this week, with Rozier suited up but not playing Wednesday night in Orlando.
Federal officials say the investigation—led by the Eastern District of New York—grew out of the earlier prosecution of ex-Raptors center Jontay Porter, who admitted to manipulating his own in-game performance for betting profits.
For now, the message from prosecutors is blunt: “Your luck has run out.”
