In a sweeping federal operation, NBA Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups, current Miami Heat player Terry Rozier, and dozens of others including alleged mafia members were arrested on Thursday for their roles in illegal gambling schemes involving insider sports betting and rigged poker games, as announced by the FBI in a coordinated takedown across 11 states.
The FBI’s investigation, spanning several years, resulted in the indictment of 34 people across two distinct conspiracies. One case targets the manipulation of NBA games through non-public injury information, while the other involves high-stakes poker games rigged with advanced technology and ties to organized crime families like the Bonanno, Genovese, and Gambino. Arrests were made in multiple locations, with prosecutors highlighting the brazen nature of the schemes that allegedly defrauded victims of tens of millions of dollars.
In the sports betting scheme, Terry Rozier is accused of informing associates that he would leave a game early due to injury, allowing them to place bets on his underperformance. This allegedly occurred during a March 2023 game between the Charlotte Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans, where Rozier played only nine minutes after averaging 35 minutes per game, leading to profits from over $200,000 in wagers. Similar allegations involve former player Damon Jones in games featuring the Los Angeles Lakers, where insider information was used to manipulate betting outcomes.
The poker ring indictment describes an elaborate cheating operation that netted more than $7 million from victims. Wealthy individuals were lured into games with former NBA players like Billups and Jones, who served as ‘face cards’ to attract participants. The games were rigged using technology such as X-ray tables to read face-down cards, special contact lenses and glasses to see markings, and altered shuffling machines, ensuring the house always won. Victims lost tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars per game, with one individual defrauded of $1.8 million.
Both Billups and Rozier have denied the allegations through their lawyers. Billups’ attorney stated that the charges risk his Hall of Fame legacy and that he will fight them vigorously, while Rozier’s lawyer claimed the case relies on unreliable sources and was resurrected without new evidence after the NBA had previously cleared him. The NBA has placed Rozier and Billups on immediate leave pending review, emphasizing its commitment to integrity and cooperation with authorities.
The arrests underscore the challenges in regulating sports gambling, which expanded rapidly in the U.S. after a 2018 Supreme Court decision overturned the federal ban. Leagues like the NBA have formed partnerships with betting companies, but this case exposes vulnerabilities to corruption and insider threats, raising concerns about the impact on professional sports. Federal officials warned that the schemes represent a significant evolution in organized crime’s involvement in gambling.
As legal proceedings begin, the case could lead to stricter oversight and reforms in how sports leagues monitor gambling-related activities. Prosecutors have vowed to pursue all defendants, and the outcomes may influence future collaborations between law enforcement and sports organizations to prevent similar schemes, ensuring the integrity of games amid growing betting markets.