An NBA player and coach are among dozens of people arrested as part of a sweeping FBI investigation into illegal sports betting and allegedly rigged, mafia-linked poker games.
Miami Heat player Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups were named by federal prosecutors in two separate indictments on Thursday.
Rozier, 31, is among six people arrested over alleged betting irregularities. They include NBA players accused of faking injuries to influence gambling markets.
Billups, a Hall of Fame player who has coached the Portland Trail Blazers since 2021, is one of 31 people charged in a separate illegal poker game case involving retired players and the mafia.
That case, which prosecutors said involved four of the five major crime families in New York, uncovered an alleged scheme to lure victims into playing rigged poker games alongside high-profile sports stars before stealing millions of dollars.
They did so using technology including special contact lenses and glasses that could read pre-marked cards and an X-ray table, according to authorities.
The NBA said in a statement that Rozier and Billups were being placed on immediate leave as it reviews the federal indictments. We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and the integrity of our game remains our top priority, it said.
Rozier's lawyer denied the allegations to CBS News, saying: Terry is not a gambler, but he is not afraid of a fight, and he looks forward to winning this fight.
He appeared in federal court in Orlando, Florida, on Thursday and was released on bail after he put up his Florida home – valued at $6m (£4.5m) – as collateral, according to local media.
Billups was arrested in Portland, Oregon, and arraigned in court on Thursday, according to local media. He is expected to prepare a substantial bond for his release, too.
FBI Director Kash Patel held a news conference with other prosecutors in Brooklyn, New York, on Thursday where he announced the two indictments.
He called the arrests extraordinary and said there was a co-ordinated takedown across 11 states.
We're talking about tens of millions of dollars in fraud and theft and robbery across a multi-year investigation, he said.
Prosecutors said the first case involved players and associates who allegedly used information not available to the public to manipulate bets on major gambling platforms.
Nocella called it one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes since online sports betting became widely legalized.
Seven NBA games between February 2023 and March 2024 have been identified as part of the case. Rozier is said to have been involved in one between the Charlotte Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans.
Rozier is alleged to have told a friend that he would leave the game early due to injury. The friend and his associates then placed bets, directing others to bet more than $200,000 that Rozier would underperform expectations in the game, prosecutors said.
During the game, Rozier scored just five points before going off, leading to significant betting profits for those involved.
Rozier's lawyer expressed confidence in their defense, indicating a belief that the prosecution was based on unreliable sources.
With gambling rapidly becoming a significant facet of sports culture, this investigation serves as a stark reminder of the risks posed by corruption and illegal activities undermining professional sports.
