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Federal authorities executed a massive crackdown Thursday on illegal sports betting and rigged poker operations, arresting more than 30 people including Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier. The arrests spanned 11 states and involved charges of wire fraud, extortion, illegal gambling and money laundering in what FBI Director Kash Patel described as operations involving tens of millions of dollars.
The investigation consisted of two parts: “Operation Nothing But Bet” focused on illegal sports gambling, and “Operation Royal Flush” targeted rigged poker games. Both operations allegedly involved Mafia members from four of the “Five Families.”
Rozier faces accusations of sharing inside information he acquired as an NBA player with gamblers in exchange for fees or a cut of betting profits. The Heat guard had previously been investigated by the NBA after sportsbooks flagged suspicious betting patterns on his performance with the Charlotte Hornets in March 2023. He left a game against the New Orleans Pelicans after just 10 minutes that night, claiming a foot injury, after significant wagers predicted he would underperform. The NBA cleared him in January, but federal authorities arrested him Thursday morning at an Orlando hotel. His attorney claims he is a victim, not a conspirator.
Billups allegedly participated in the poker ring as a “face card,” using his celebrity status to lure unsuspecting players into rigged games. The operations used hidden cameras, specialized contact lenses and sunglasses, and X-ray tables to cheat players out of millions. One victim lost $1.8 million. The Mafia reportedly used violence and extortion to collect debts.
Former NBA player Damon Jones, who coached for Cleveland and unofficially assisted the Lakers, was also arrested and allegedly shared confidential information about a LeBron James injury to aid gamblers. The indictments also reference several unnamed co-conspirators.
Both Billups and Rozier have been placed on immediate leave from their teams. The NBA emphasized that game integrity remains its top priority.
The scandal represents the latest fallout from widespread sports betting legalization following the Supreme Court’s 2018 decision striking down the federal ban. Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter received a lifetime ban last year for similar gambling-related fraud. Sports management experts note the uncomfortable contradiction of leagues profiting heavily from gambling partnerships while athletes face these scandals.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has begun pushing betting partners to restrict prop bets on individual player performance, particularly for lower-roster players, to prevent manipulation.
Read more: NBA coach, player arrested amid fed probe of Mafia’s poker, gambling rings
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