On a significant morning in the world of professional basketball and sports integrity, the FBI executed a sweeping operation across 11 states resulting in the arrest of more than 30 individuals, including Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, and former NBA player Damon Jones. These arrests stem from an extensive federal grand jury investigation into illegal sports betting and gambling, with the evidence pointing to complex schemes involving organized crime and insider trading within the NBA community.
The investigation, which spans two major cases, has revealed the depth and sophistication of illegal gambling activities tied to professional basketball. Billups and Jones face charges connected to their participation in unlawful high-stakes poker games orchestrated by organized crime families, specifically linked to the notorious La Cosa Nostra syndicate based in New York. Meanwhile, Rozier was arrested for his alleged involvement in a sports betting ring that exploited confidential, non-public NBA information, particularly relating to player injuries and illnesses, to gain an unfair advantage in wagering.
FBI Director Kash Patel addressed the media during a Thursday press briefing, highlighting the scale and coordinated nature of the takedown. “The FBI led a coordinated takedown across 11 states to arrest over 30 individuals today in this case, which is very much ongoing,” Patel stated. He emphasized the dual focus of the operation: dismantling the fraudulent sports betting schemes affecting the NBA and enforcing justice against La Cosa Nostra’s illegal gambling enterprises.
U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella provided further details regarding the sports betting conspiracy involving Rozier, Jones, and four others. This scheme reportedly operated from December 2022 through March 2024 and centered around seven NBA games. The accused allegedly used inside information about player availability and health to inform a network of bettors who placed hundreds of thousands of dollars in wagers through online sportsbooks and in-person casino betting.
A particularly notable incident implicated Rozier in the Hornets-Pelicans game, where he withdrew himself early from the contest—a move investigators claim was prearranged to influence the outcome of wagers. Law enforcement officials reported that approximately $200,000 was bet on the under for Rozier’s statistical prop bets across multiple sportsbooks. Jones, on the other hand, is accused of relaying insider information related to two Los Angeles Lakers games. This probe, dubbed "Operation Nothing But Net," also connects to the case involving Jontay Porter, a former NBA player banned in 2024 for involvement in related betting scandals. Two other defendants in the investigation allegedly threatened Porter to keep him entangled in the scheme.
Nocella elaborated on the nature of the insider information traded within the ring, stating, “The non-public information included when specific players would be sitting out future games, or when they would pull themselves out early for purported injuries or illnesses.” He clarified that the conspirators, including Rozier and Jones, abused longstanding personal relationships with NBA players and coaches to obtain this sensitive data. In at least one case, they coerced a player with existing gambling debts, namely Porter, to comply with their illicit operations.
Separately, Billups and Jones face charges of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy stemming from their involvement in illegal poker games tied to organized crime. Nocella described how the mafia had long controlled illegal poker games around New York City and expanded their influence to rigged games, taking a cut from the proceeds and enforcing debt collections. The poker operations targeted wealthy individuals, known as “fish,” enticing them into games employing sophisticated cheating methods. These included rigged shuffle machines, X-ray tables capable of reading face-down cards, and specially designed contact lenses or eyeglasses to detect premarked cards. Players at the tables received signals from accomplices monitoring the games remotely, ensuring the house or favored participants maintained an edge.
Billups and Jones were reportedly among the “face cards” — recognizable celebrity players whose presence helped lure high-net-worth individuals into these illicit games.
The arrests occurred as follows: Rozier was taken into custody at a hotel in Orlando, Florida, where the Miami Heat had recently played the Orlando Magic. Rozier did not participate in that game, a coach's decision amid the ongoing investigation. Billups was arrested in Portland, Oregon, where the Trail Blazers were between home games. Both men are scheduled to appear in federal court in their respective cities later on Thursday, with future arraignment proceedings set for Brooklyn, New York.
The NBA and its leadership have been closely monitoring