NBA Scandal: Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier Involved in Illegal Betting and Fixed Poker Games
An earthquake shakes the basketball world. Chauncey Billups, coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, and Terry Rozier, player for the Miami Heat, have been arrested as part of a massive investigation into illegal sports betting and fraudulent poker games, backed by the Mafia. Authorities announced the news on Thursday, revealing a network involving four mafia families and organized crime networks, with millions of dollars at stake. The NBA, in a statement, confirmed that Billups and Rozier have been removed from their teams with “immediate license”. The investigation, spanning 11 states and extending over several years, has resulted in the arrest of 34 people. FBI Director Kash Patel called the magnitude of the fraud “mind-boggling”. Terry Rozier was arrested at a hotel in Orlando, Florida, accused of participating in an illegal gambling scheme using insider information from the NBA. According to the indictment, bets were placed using non-public information in at least seven NBA games between March 2023 and March 2024, involving teams such as the Charlotte Hornets, Orlando Magic, Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Toronto Raptors. In three of those games, players allegedly self-eliminated to benefit the bettors.The Eastern District of New York’s prosecutor, Joseph Nocella Jr., described the case as “one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes since online sports betting was widely legalized in the United States.” Chauncey Billups, for his part, was arrested in Oregon and faces charges related to a scheme to manipulate clandestine poker games, also backed by the Mafia. It is alleged that the accused used sophisticated technology to steal millions of dollars from victims in the New York area, according to Nocella. The accusation also mentions the involvement of an accomplice who would have informed a bettor about the absence of several key Trail Blazers players in a March 2023 game, a description that matches Billups’ trajectory. Both Billups and Rozier have been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to launder money. If found guilty, they could face up to 20 years in prison for each charge. Rozier appeared before a federal court in Orlando, Florida, in a Hornets uniform, handcuffed and shackled. Billups did the same in Portland, Oregon. Both were released under certain conditions. The judge imposed “substantial bail conditions” on all defendants in the poker manipulation case, noting Billups’ “substantial financial resources.” Billups is scheduled to appear in Brooklyn federal court on November 24, while Rozier will appear on December 8. Billups surrendered his passport and is required to secure a considerable bond before the federal court in the Eastern District of New York. His travel is restricted to Oregon and Colorado, and he is prohibited from any gambling-related activities. Judge Robert Norway ordered Rozier’s release after he offered his Florida home as bail and surrendered his passport. Among the conditions of his release, he is also prohibited from gambling and can only travel within the continental United States. Tiago Splitter, assistant coach of the Trail Blazers, will take over as interim coach. The team canceled its practice session with the media on Thursday afternoon.“Let’s not beat around the bush. This is the NBA insider information saga, that’s what this is.”
Kash Patel, FBI Director
The investigation also involves Damon Jones, former player and assistant coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, accused of selling insider information to bettors. It is presumed that Jones had a close relationship with “a prominent NBA player” and obtained insider information through that connection. Before a Lakers game against the Milwaukee Bucks on February 9, 2023, Jones allegedly texted an accomplice to “make a big bet on Milwaukee tonight” due to the absence of the prominent player. LeBron James did not play in that game, which the Lakers lost. A month later, another defendant allegedly informed a bettor that the Trail Blazers “were going to tank” and that several of their best players would not participate in a game against the Chicago Bulls on March 24, 2023. Four regular Portland starters did not play, and the Trail Blazers lost by 28 points. The case is related to the betting scandal involving Jontay Porter, former Raptors player, who was banned from the NBA in the spring of 2024 and is awaiting sentencing for his involvement in a betting scheme. In the case of poker, Billups and Jones are accused of using their fame to lure people into participating in games rigged by the Mafia. The organizers allegedly used “sophisticated cheating technologies,” including shuffling machines that could read cards, chip trays with hidden cameras, contact lenses and special glasses to read marked cards, and an X-ray table to read face-down cards. The victims lost at least $7 million in rigged poker games since April 2019, with a single victim losing $1.8 million. According to the indictment, Billups helped organize and played in games held in Las Vegas in April 2019, using a rigged shuffling machine, where they defrauded the victims of at least $50,000. After another fixed game in October 2020, Billups received $50,000 for his participation. Billups’ attorney, Chris Heywood, stated: “To believe that Chauncey Billups did what the federal government accuses him of is to believe that he would risk his Hall of Fame legacy, his reputation, and his freedom. He would not jeopardize those things for anything, let alone a card game.” The case remains open and federal investigations continue.“We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and the integrity of our game remains our top priority.”
NBA Statement
