Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier were arrested on October 23 as part of a sweeping federal crackdown on illegal gambling operations tied to organized crime families in New York.
Federal prosecutors said more than 30 individuals were indicted across two overlapping investigations targeting underground poker and sports betting rings allegedly run by members of the Bonanno, Gambino, and Genovese families.
Billups faces charges related to an illegal poker network that authorities say used rigged shuffling machines, marked cards, and hidden cameras to cheat players out of millions over several years. According to court filings, Billups allegedly accepted payouts from the ring and participated in high-stakes games connected to organized crime figures. He was arrested in Oregon, appeared in federal court, and was released on bond under strict no-gambling conditions. The NBA immediately placed him on leave and appointed Tiago Splitter as interim head coach.
Rozier’s case stems from a separate FBI probe into sports betting manipulation. Prosecutors allege he provided insider information and deliberately altered his in-game performance to influence betting outcomes. Investigators cited a Hornets-Pelicans game where Rozier exited early with a fake injury, aligning with heavy “under” bets on his stats. He was taken into custody in Orlando and has since been placed on immediate leave by the NBA.
Authorities described the twin scandals as among the most aggressive sports corruption cases since the legalization of online betting in the United States. FBI Director Kash Patel said the investigation exposed how professional athletes were “recruited, compromised, and controlled” by gambling rings linked to organized crime.
Both Billups and Rozier maintain their innocence. Billups’s attorney called the allegations “unthinkable,” insisting his client would not risk his Hall of Fame legacy over gambling.
