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FBI raids NBA betting ring: Coaches, players and ties to the American mafia in handcuffs

2025-10-24 08:09:03Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
FBI raids NBA betting ring: Coaches, players and ties to the American mafia in
Terry Rozier of the NBA's Miami Heat was arrested as part of an FBI investigation into sports betting.

US authorities announced several high-profile arrests on Thursday, including a player and a coach in the National Basketball Association (NBA), for suspected illegal sports betting.

Among those arrested are Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat player Terry Rozier, both reportedly arrested after their teams' games on Wednesday.

The arrests are part of a sweeping investigation into illegal gambling that resulted in two indictments, the FBI said, one for players allegedly faking injuries to influence betting odds and another involving an illegal poker ring linked to organized crime.

Federal prosecutors unsealed two separate indictments Thursday against Miami Heat player Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups.

Rozier, 31, is among six people arrested for alleged betting irregularities. Among them are NBA players accused of faking injuries to influence gambling markets.

Billups, a Hall of Fame player who has coached the Portland Trail Blazers since 2021, is one of 31 people charged in a separate illegal poker game case involving retired players and the Mafia.

The case, which prosecutors said involved four of the five major crime families in New York, revealed an alleged scheme to lure victims into playing rigged poker games alongside high-profile sports stars before stealing millions of dollars.

They did this using technology, including contact lenses and special glasses that could read pre-determined cards and an X-ray table, according to authorities.

The NBA said in a statement that Rozier and Billups were suspended immediately while federal indictments are reviewed.

"We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and the integrity of our game remains our top priority," the NBA said.

Rozier's lawyer denied the allegations to CBS News, saying, "Terry is not a gambler, but he is not afraid of a fight and he is looking forward to winning this fight."

He appeared in federal court in Orlando, Florida, on Thursday and was released on bail after putting up his Florida home, worth $6 million, as collateral, according to local media.

Billups was arrested in Portland, Oregon, and appeared in court on Thursday, according to local media. He is expected to post a substantial bond for his release.

FBI Director Kash Patel held a press conference with other prosecutors in Brooklyn, New York, on Thursday where he announced the two indictments.

He called the arrests "extraordinary" and said there was a "coordinated attack across 11 states."

"We're talking about tens of millions of dollars in fraud, theft and robbery over a multi-year investigation," he said.

Prosecutors said the first case involved players and associates who allegedly used information that was not publicly available to manipulate bets on major gambling platforms.

Nocella called it "one of the most shameless sports corruption schemes since online sports betting was widely legalized."

Seven NBA games between February 2023 and March 2024 have been identified as part of the case. Rozier is said to have been involved in a game between the Charlotte Hornets and the New Orleans Pelicans, when he played for the Hornets.


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