NBA head coach and player among 30 arrested in U.S. illegal gambling investigation

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is once again facing controversy after being linked to an alleged illegal gambling and match-fixing operation in the United States.

Federal prosecutors have named Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups in connection with an ongoing investigation into mafia-linked sports betting and rigged poker games. According to authorities, Billups was arrested for his alleged role in an underground poker operation, while Rozier is accused of participating in a scheme to manipulate game outcomes.

Officials revealed that the probe involves four of New York’s notorious crime families — the Bonanno, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese organizations. More than 30 individuals were arrested across multiple states as part of what investigators described as one of the largest illegal gambling crackdowns in recent years.

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“Today, we are here in New York to announce historic arrests tied to a wide-reaching criminal enterprise,” said FBI Director Kash Patel during a Friday news conference (Philippine Standard Time, October 24). “This is an illegal gambling and sports rigging operation that spanned years. The fraud is staggering — we’re talking about tens of millions of dollars in theft and deception.”

The FBI is holding a press conference right now on the details around this morning’s sports gambling bust.

Here are some of the highlights:

1. Current and former NBA players and coaches Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier, and Damon Jones have been arrested.

2. This was an illegal…

— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) October 23, 2025

New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch detailed that Rozier’s alleged involvement dated back to March 2024, when he was still playing for the Charlotte Hornets. Investigators claim Rozier informed associates that he intended to leave a game early due to injury, prompting members of the group to place over $200,000 in wagers on his “under” statistics. Rozier exited that game after just nine minutes, resulting in significant payouts.

“The proceeds from those bets were later delivered to his home,” Tisch stated.

A separate indictment focuses on Billups and former NBA player Damon Jones, who are accused of participating in high-stakes poker games that were secretly fixed using advanced cheating technology. Authorities allege the operation, which began in 2019, was used by organized crime groups to steal millions from unsuspecting players.

In a statement, the NBA said, “We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness. The integrity of our game remains our top priority.”

Rozier’s attorney, meanwhile, denied the accusations, asserting, “Terry is not a gambler, but he’s not afraid of a fight, and he looks forward to clearing his name.”

Rozier, recently taken into custody in Orlando, has earned roughly $160 million in career earnings and is in the final year of his four-year, $96 million contract. Billups, a five-time NBA All-Star and 2004 NBA Finals MVP with the Detroit Pistons, retired as a player in 2014 and has served as head coach of the Trail Blazers since 2021.

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