By Federal agents unveiled a wave of arrests Thursday in what authorities described as a sprawling illegal gambling operation that ensnared figures from the NBA and members of organized crime, signaling one of the most aggressive crackdowns on sports corruption in recent memory.
At a press conference in Brooklyn, FBI Director Kash Patel said the coordinated investigation touched both the National Basketball Association and several Italian-American crime families. “We are here in New York to announce a historic arrest across a wide, sweeping criminal enterprise that envelops both the NBA and La Cosa Nostra,” Patel said.
Those arrested include Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, and retired player Damon Jones, among more than 30 individuals charged across two separate federal indictments, reported NBC News.
In a statement, the NBA confirmed that Billups and Rozier have been suspended indefinitely pending the outcome of the probe. “We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and the integrity of our game remains our top priority,” the league said.
Investigators say the first scheme revolved around manipulated poker games, where 31 suspects — including Billups — allegedly used high-tech devices to cheat players out of millions. These underground events were reportedly backed by the Bonanno, Gambino, and Genovese crime families, according to U.S. Attorney Breon Peace, identified as Nocella in the announcement.
The second case, prosecutors said, involved an elaborate insider betting ring that officials called “one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes since online sports betting became widely legalized in the United States.” Six people, including Rozier, were charged in that conspiracy. Jones was implicated in both. The probe also builds on the earlier conviction of former Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter, who pleaded guilty in 2024 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
“This alleged illegal gambling operation hustled unwitting victims out of tens of millions of dollars, and created a financial pipeline for La Cosa Nostra to help fund and facilitate their organized criminal activity,” said Christopher Raia, the FBI’s New York assistant director in charge.
Billups, arrested in Portland, was a 17-year NBA veteran and five-time All-Star who led the Detroit Pistons to their 2004 championship and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame last year. Rozier, detained in Orlando, reportedly came under scrutiny after investigators flagged suspicious betting activity linked to his in-game stats. Jones, 49, played for multiple franchises — most notably the Cleveland Cavaliers — during his decade-long career.
Authorities said the arrests represent a watershed moment in efforts to protect sports integrity amid the rapid rise of legalized gambling. Federal officials vowed that their pursuit of those who “blur the line between competition and corruption” is far from over.
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