Portland, Oregon – The integrity of the National Basketball Association was thrust into the spotlight on Thursday, October 23, 2025, with the arrest of Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier. Both figures were among more than 30 individuals taken into federal custody as part of sweeping investigations into sprawling, illegal gambling operations linked to organized crime families and sophisticated sports betting fraud. The charges include wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy, sending shockwaves through the league just as its new season commenced.
Federal Authorities Uncover Multi-Million Dollar Schemes
Federal prosecutors unsealed two indictments in New York, revealing the culmination of years-long investigations led by the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. The coordinated takedown, spanning 11 states, targeted alleged criminal enterprises involved in both rigged high-stakes poker games and insider sports betting. FBI Director Kash Patel described the operation as “one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes since online sports betting became widely legalized in the United States,” emphasizing that “the fraud is mind-boggling,” with estimated tens of millions of dollars involved.
Billups Accused in Mafia-Backed Poker Conspiracy
Chauncey Billups, a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer and respected head coach, is specifically charged with participating in a conspiracy to fix high-stakes card games. Authorities allege these rigged poker games, which operated across Las Vegas, Miami, Manhattan, and the Hamptons, were backed by members and associates of La Cosa Nostra crime families, including the Bonanno, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese families. Billups, who was arrested in Portland, Oregon, allegedly served as a “face card”—a celebrity former athlete lending credibility to the games—and was implicated in defrauding victims of over $50,000 through this scheme. The operation reportedly used sophisticated cheating technologies to ensure the games favored the operators and the mob.
Rozier Allegedly Exploited Insider Information
In a separate, but related, indictment, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier faces charges for his alleged role in a scheme to commit wire fraud and money laundering by exploiting confidential information about NBA athletes and teams. Prosecutors claim Rozier and other co-conspirators used non-public information, such as injury updates and player intentions to alter performance, to place fraudulent wagers on NBA games for profit. The indictment references an “Oregon resident who was an NBA player from about 1997 to 2014 and an NBA coach since at least 2021,” a description that closely aligns with Billups’ career timeline, suggesting potential indirect or broader involvement, though he is not named in this specific sports betting indictment. Authorities noted that players sometimes intentionally underperformed or withdrew from games to benefit these bets.
Legal Proceedings and Immediate Fallout
Following his arrest in Lake Oswego, Oregon, Billups appeared before a federal magistrate judge in Portland. He was released on bail under stringent conditions, including the surrender of his passport and a prohibition on participating in any gambling activities. His attorney issued a statement asserting Billups’ innocence and his intention to vigorously fight the charges. Terry Rozier was arrested in Orlando, Florida, and faced similar charges. The NBA swiftly responded by placing both Billups and Rozier on immediate leave from their respective teams. The league released a statement emphasizing its commitment to the integrity of the game and its full cooperation with the ongoing federal investigation. The Portland Trail Blazers named assistant coach Tiago Splitter as interim head coach in Billups’ absence.
A Pattern of Gambling Scandals Affecting the NBA
These arrests cast a long shadow over the NBA, following closely on the heels of other gambling-related controversies. Notably, former Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter pleaded guilty to federal charges for manipulating games for betting purposes, leading to his lifetime ban from the league. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver had recently called for increased regulations on sports betting, particularly on player prop bets, citing concerns about potential game manipulation, especially involving players with less significant roles.
Broader Implications and Future of the Game
The scale of the alleged fraud, the involvement of organized crime, and the participation of high-profile NBA figures highlight vulnerabilities within the rapidly expanding legal sports betting industry. Federal prosecutors stated that the schemes aimed to enrich perpetrators and cheat legitimate sportsbooks, eroding the foundational integrity of American sports. The investigations remain active, with authorities suggesting potential further indictments. As the news unfolds, the NBA faces a critical juncture in addressing these allegations and reinforcing trust in its competition, impacting the sport’s reputation and its relationship with the burgeoning betting market across the nation, including here in Oregon.
The coming weeks will likely see further developments as the legal process unfolds, with profound implications for the careers of the accused and the future of gambling oversight within professional sports.
