NBA stars arrested in FBI crackdown on illegal betting, rigged games
An NBA player and coach are among dozens arrested in a sweeping FBI crackdown on illegal sports betting and mafia-linked gambling operations across the United States.
Federal prosecutors announced two separate indictments implicating Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups in connection with illegal betting and poker games allegedly rigged by organised crime groups. Both men have denied any wrongdoing.
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Rozier, 31, was one of six individuals charged over alleged betting irregularities, including accusations that certain NBA players faked injuries to influence gambling markets.
Prosecutors say Rozier conspired with friends to profit from bets placed on a 2023 game between the Charlotte Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans, where he left early, citing injury, after just nine minutes of play. The group allegedly wagered over $200,000 on Rozier to underperform.
Billups, meanwhile, was charged in a separate case involving illegal high-stakes poker games said to be linked to mafia operations.
The FBI alleges that former and current athletes participated in rigged games and money-laundering schemes run out of exclusive venues in New York and Los Angeles.
Both Rozier and Billups have been placed on immediate leave by the NBA pending further investigation.
“The integrity of our game remains our top priority,” the league said in a statement.
US Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. warned the defendants: “Your winning streak has ended. Your luck has run out.”
Rozier was released on bail after posting his $6 million Florida home as collateral, while Billups, arrested in Oregon, is preparing a substantial bond for release.
The FBI confirmed that at least seven NBA games between February 2023 and March 2024 are under review as part of the investigation.
