- Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier have been arrested in sweeping federal investigations into illegal sports betting.
- The indictments cover two separate schemes: one involving betting on NBA games using insider information and another involving rigged, high-stakes poker games linked to the Mafia.
- Rozier is accused of sharing inside information and removing himself from a game to ensure certain prop bets would win.
- Billups and former NBA player Damon Jones are alleged to have leaked nonpublic information about player availability and lured high rollers into rigged poker games.
NBA Stunned by Sweeping Federal Gambling Probes
The NBA is facing a monumental crisis after federal authorities announced the indictment of Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, and former NBA player Damon Jones in two massive investigations. The charges, including wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy, stem from schemes involving illegal sports betting and rigged high-stakes poker games, sending shockwaves through the league.
The Two-Pronged Investigation
Federal investigators clarified that while there is some overlap, they are pursuing two separate cases that threaten the integrity of the sport.
Case 1: Insider Betting on NBA Games
The first case alleges that a group of conspirators placed bets on at least seven NBA games using nonpublic information. Terry Rozier is at the center of this probe, accused of sharing confidential information and even removing himself early from a March 2023 game while with the Charlotte Hornets to benefit gamblers who had bet the “under” on his player props. Former NBA player Damon Jones is accused of selling inside information about player availability to bettors during his time as an unofficial coach with the Lakers.
While not named in the sports betting indictment, a co-conspirator whose career matches Chauncey Billups allegedly told a bettor that the Trail Blazers were tanking, providing an edge for a March 2023 game.
Case 2: Mafia-Linked Rigged Poker Games
The second indictment reveals a darker underworld connection, alleging that Billups and Jones acted as “face cards” to lure wealthy individuals into high-stakes poker games. These games were allegedly rigged using sophisticated cheating technology and backed by four of New York’s five notorious Mafia families. The scheme reportedly defrauded victims out of more than $7.15 million, with the Mafia using extortion and violence to collect debts.
League on Defense as Consequences Loom
The NBA, which has openly embraced legalized sports betting, now faces intense scrutiny. The league had previously investigated Rozier in 2023 but stated it “did not find a violation of NBA rules,” a finding that is now under a harsh spotlight. In response to the arrests, the NBA has placed both Billups and Rozier on immediate leave.
For the Miami Heat, Rozier’s potential expulsion could have significant financial implications, potentially removing his $26.6 million salary from their books. The Trail Blazers have named assistant Tiago Splitter as interim coach, disrupting a team that had hoped to make a playoff push. This case is also linked to former Raptor Jontay Porter, who previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud in connection with the same investigation, highlighting a growing and disturbing trend that the league must now confront head-on.
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