In a stunning development that has rocked the NBA and the broader sports world, Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier were among 34 people arrested Thursday as part of two massive federal investigations into illegal sports betting and Mafia-backed poker schemes, authorities announced.
The arrests, which span 11 states and involve tens of millions of dollars, were the culmination of a yearslong FBI investigation into organized crime networks and illicit gambling operations. FBI Director Kash Patel described the probe as uncovering “mind-boggling levels of fraud” and connections to four Mafia families.
“This represents one of the most brazen sports corruption cases we’ve seen since the widespread legalization of online sports betting,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. of the Eastern District of New York, who is leading the prosecution.
Rozier, 31, was arrested Thursday morning at a hotel in Orlando, Florida, one day after he was a healthy scratch in the Heat’s season-opening loss to the Orlando Magic. According to court documents, Rozier is accused of participating in an illegal sports betting scheme that leveraged private, insider NBA information to manipulate wagers and share profits with organized crime figures.
Prosecutors allege that Rozier and others had access to confidential details — such as injury statuses, lineup decisions, or player minutes — and provided that information to bettors “in exchange for flat fees or a share of profits.”
The case dates back to March 23, 2023, when multiple sportsbooks flagged suspicious betting activity on Rozier’s player props ahead of a game between the Charlotte Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans. A surge of bets — 30 wagers totaling $13,759 placed in under an hour — targeted the under on Rozier’s points, rebounds, and assists.
Rozier exited that game after just 10 minutes, citing a foot injury. Sportsbooks halted all betting on his props shortly after.
The NBA and federal authorities reportedly interviewed Rozier several times in 2023, but no violations were found at that time. His case has since been linked to the betting scandal involving former Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter, who was banned from the league in 2024 and later pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges related to player prop manipulation.
Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, said his client “cooperated fully with investigators” and maintains his innocence.
Meanwhile, Chauncey Billups, 48, was arrested in Portland, Oregon, and charged in a separate but connected indictment involving the rigging of underground poker games.
Federal prosecutors allege that Billups played a “lead financial and technological role” in a sophisticated fraud network that used digital manipulation tools to cheat players out of more than $7 million in high-stakes poker games across the New York metropolitan area.
“These weren’t friendly poker nights,” Nocella said. “They were organized, Mafia-backed criminal enterprises designed to fleece victims and launder the proceeds through shell companies and cryptocurrency wallets.”
Billups faces charges including money laundering and wire fraud conspiracy, the same charges leveled against Rozier. Both are expected to make initial court appearances later Thursday in their respective jurisdictions.
Billups, a five-time NBA All-Star, won the 2004 NBA Finals MVP with the Detroit Pistons and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024. He has served as Portland’s head coach since 2021 and signed a multiyear contract extension in April 2025.
Also charged was former Cleveland Cavaliers player and assistant coach Damon Jones, 49, who authorities say was “a key intermediary” between certain NBA figures and the illegal gambling network.
Jones is accused of providing insider information about NBA games to co-conspirators, who then placed high-value wagers based on that intelligence. He is among three individuals named in both the sports betting and poker indictments, prosecutors said.
According to federal filings, six defendants are charged in the insider betting case, while 31 others — including Billups — are implicated in the poker scheme. Some defendants overlap between the two cases, suggesting coordination between organized crime groups and corrupt insiders.
Authorities say the investigation has uncovered links between East Coast Mafia families and gambling operations stretching from Nevada to Florida.
“This is organized crime adapting to the digital era,” Patel said. “These networks aren’t running numbers in backrooms anymore. They’re exploiting data, technology, and insider access in professional sports.”
The NBA issued a brief statement Thursday afternoon acknowledging the arrests:
“We are aware of the federal charges involving Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier. The league is cooperating fully with law enforcement and has launched its own internal review. Integrity of competition is our highest priority.”
The Portland Trail Blazers and Miami Heat also released statements saying both individuals have been suspended indefinitely, pending the outcome of the legal process.
This latest development marks a deepening crisis for the NBA as it continues to grapple with the growing intersection of legalized sports betting and league integrity.
The arrests of Billups and Rozier come just months after the fallout from the Jontay Porter betting scandal, which prompted Commissioner Adam Silver to call for “a reevaluation of the league’s relationship with sportsbooks.”
Federal officials indicated that Thursday’s arrests may not be the final wave, suggesting that additional players, team personnel, and outside associates remain under investigation.
“We’re just beginning to peel back the layers of this. What we’ve uncovered so far is only the tip of the iceberg.”
Both Billups and Rozier face maximum sentences of up to 20 years in prison if convicted on all counts. They are scheduled for preliminary hearings later Thursday in Portland, Oregon, and Orlando, Florida, respectively.
