Source: BBC News – Mallory Moench, Oct 23 2025
NEW YORK – October 23, 2025
In an extraordinary FBI sting spanning 11 US states, dozens of people—including NBA players, a head coach, and members of New York’s major crime families—were arrested in connection with illegal gambling, match-fixing, and mafia-linked poker scams.
Two High-Profile NBA Figures Charged
Federal prosecutors named Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, 31, and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, a Hall of Famer, in separate indictments.
Rozier was accused of participating in a betting scheme where players allegedly faked injuries to manipulate sports-betting outcomes. He is said to have left a February 2023 Hornets-Pelicans game after only nine minutes, allowing associates to profit from insider wagers worth over US $200,000.
Billups, meanwhile, was charged alongside 31 others in a mafia-run poker ring that used sophisticated technology—marked cards, contact-lens readers, and even X-ray tables—to cheat victims out of millions. Prosecutors linked the operation to the Bonanno, Genovese, and Gambino crime families.
FBI: “Co-ordinated Takedown Across 11 States”
FBI Director Kash Patel called the arrests “extraordinary,” revealing a multi-year, multimillion-dollar criminal network spanning sports and organized crime.
US Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr added: “Your winning streak has ended. Your luck has run out.”
Rozier’s attorney denied wrongdoing, claiming his client had been cleared by the NBA earlier. Both Rozier and Billups have been placed on immediate administrative leave pending review.
🎲 A Tale of Two Scandals
The first case centers on online sports betting fraud—the most serious corruption scandal since gambling was legalized in many US states after 2018.
The second case exposed high-stakes poker nights in Las Vegas, Miami, Manhattan, and the Hamptons, where wealthy victims were “fleeced” in rigged games run by mob families.
One victim reportedly lost US $1.8 million.
Charges include wire fraud, bank fraud, robbery, extortion, and illegal gambling. The FBI says the conspiracy caused more than US $7 million in losses and hinted that further arrests could follow.
NBA Integrity in the Spotlight
The NBA said it was “taking these allegations with the utmost seriousness,” stressing that the integrity of the game is paramount.
Sports analysts note that the case underscores tensions between professional leagues and the booming US $100-billion sports-betting industry—now increasingly intertwined with mainstream sports.
