In a major federal crackdown on illegal gambling and sports corruption, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups have been arrested, authorities revealed on Thursday. The arrests mark a significant development in a sprawling investigation into a criminal enterprise involving illegal gambling, fraud, and game-rigging that spanned several years and multiple states.
At a press conference held in New York, FBI Director Kash Patel described the operation as “historic” in scale, emphasizing that it was not just about illegal betting but also involved manipulating sports outcomes. Patel detailed that the FBI’s efforts stretched across 11 states, resulting in the arrest of over 30 individuals on a wide array of charges including wire fraud, money laundering, extortion, robbery, and illegal gambling. “The fraud is mind-boggling,” Patel said, highlighting that the total amount of money involved reached into the tens of millions of dollars.
Significantly, Patel revealed that the investigation uncovered ties between the illegal gambling ring and several notorious mafia families, including the Bonanno, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese crime families—organized crime groups historically linked to racketeering and other illicit activities in the United States. This connection underscores the depth and complexity of the criminal network behind the gambling operations.
Joseph Nocella, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, provided further details about the indictments that were unsealed on Thursday. Two separate indictments emerged from the investigation. The first involves six defendants accused of participating in an insider sports betting conspiracy that manipulated National Basketball Association (NBA) games. According to Nocella, this scheme is among the most brazen sports corruption cases since the widespread legalization of online sports betting in the U.S., exploiting confidential information about NBA players and teams to gain an unfair advantage in betting markets.
The second indictment names 31 defendants alleged to have engaged in a nationwide scheme to rig underground poker games. These defendants, some of whom are former professional athletes, allegedly used sophisticated cheating technology to steal millions from victims in these clandestine games. Nocella stressed that these illegal poker games were supported by the same mafia families mentioned earlier, further illustrating the organized crime dimension of the gambling racket.
While emphasizing that all accused individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty, Nocella sent a clear message to those arrested: “Your winning streak has ended. Your luck has run out. Violating the law is a losing proposition, and you can bet on that.”
The NBA has not yet issued an official comment on the arrests.
Terry Rozier, a guard for the Miami Heat, was taken into custody early Thursday morning in Orlando. Notably, Rozier was present in uniform during the Heat’s game against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night but did not play. The Miami Heat organization has not made any immediate statements regarding the situation. Efforts to reach Rozier’s lawyer, Jim Trusty, were met with a message left on Thursday. Trusty had previously told ESPN that after an initial investigation involving NBA and FBI officials in 2023, Rozier was cleared of wrongdoing at that time.
The case against Rozier appears to center on a game played on March 23, 2023, between the Charlotte Hornets and the New Orleans Pelicans. During that game, Rozier played only the first 10 minutes, recording five points, four rebounds, and two assists before exiting due to a foot issue. He did not return for the remainder of the game and did not play again for the rest of the season, which had eight remaining games. Since the Hornets were not in playoff contention, his season-ending absence did not raise immediate suspicions at the time.
However, the game has since attracted scrutiny because some bettors grew frustrated when Rozier did not return after the first quarter. Social media posts from that night show bettors accusing sportsbooks of shady behavior, especially regarding prop bets tied to Rozier’s statistical performance. The implication is that the early exit may have been manipulated to influence betting outcomes.
Rozier’s career earnings total approximately $160 million, and he is currently in the final year of a four-year contract worth $96 million. The stakes are high, and the allegations, if proven true, could significantly impact his professional legacy.
Chauncey Billups, now the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, was also arrested in connection with the investigation. Billups had a distinguished NBA career as a five-time