MIAMI — In an unprecedented federal crackdown, the FBI has arrested Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups in connection with two sprawling Mafia-linked gambling and sports rigging schemes, U.S. officials confirmed Thursday.
The NBA announced that both men have been placed on immediate leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
Dual Federal Operations Expose Insider Sports Betting and Poker Rigging
U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said the probe involved two intertwined operations:
- “Operation Nothing But Bet,” focused on insider information used to wager on NBA games.
- A parallel underground poker scam, where “high-tech cheating devices” — including manipulated shuffling machines and X-ray poker tables — were used to steal millions from players.
The investigation, which spanned 11 states, led to over 30 arrests on charges including wire fraud, money laundering, extortion, robbery, and illegal gambling, according to FBI Director Kash Patel.
“The fraud is mind-boggling,” Patel said. “This was a criminal enterprise that enveloped both the NBA and La Cosa Nostra, involving tens of millions of dollars in ill-gotten gains.”
Billups Accused of Being a “Face Card” in Rigged Games
Court documents describe Billups as a “Face Card” — a high-profile figure used to lure wealthy gamblers to private poker games in Manhattan, Las Vegas, Miami, and the Hamptons.
Prosecutors allege that during a 2019 Las Vegas game, Billups’ unexpected winning streak drew suspicion, prompting the ring’s masterminds to text that he needed to “lose on purpose” to keep the scheme running.
Over six years, the poker ring allegedly netted more than $7 million, often under the protection and financing of members of the Bonanno, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese crime families.
NBA Faces Growing Scandal Over Sports Betting
The scandal deepens concerns about the growing ties between professional sports and the booming gambling industry. Since the 2018 Supreme Court ruling legalizing sports betting, at least 23 professional players or coaches have been suspended or banned for gambling-related violations.
The NBA, in a brief statement, said it is “cooperating fully with federal authorities” and that “the integrity of the game remains our highest priority.”
Mafia Influence and Nicknames Straight Out of Scorsese
Federal indictments unsealed in Brooklyn outline a criminal network that reads like a Martin Scorsese film script, featuring mobsters with aliases such as “The Wrestler,” “Juice,” “Big Bruce,” and “Pookie.”
Officials say the operation’s reach extended into both legitimate sports enterprises and illegal underground gambling dens, creating one of the most complex sports corruption cases in recent U.S. history.
