Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier were arrested Thursday for alleged involvement in illegal gambling networks that have rattled the NBA. Billups, a former Detroit Pistons star and Hall of Famer, faces charges linked to rigged poker games tied to Mafia crime families, FBI Director Kash Patel said.
Rozier, along with former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones, was among six individuals charged in a sprawling federal sports betting investigation, Patel added. “The fraud is mind-boggling,” Patel said, describing tens of millions of dollars lost through multi-year schemes involving theft, manipulation, and deception across the league.
The NBA immediately placed both Billups and Rozier on leave, stressing the league’s commitment to integrity and the seriousness of these allegations in a statement. Both men were indicted on conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, highlighting an alleged nationwide scheme targeting NBA games and high-stakes gambling networks.
Rozier appeared in federal court in Orlando, posting bond and surrendering his passport, and is scheduled to face court in New York on December 8. Billups was released on bond in Portland and is required to appear in New York federal court on November 24, as authorities continue their investigation.
Prosecutors allege Billups used his celebrity to attract players to games employing hidden cameras, card-reading shuffling machines, and barcoded decks to manipulate results. Rozier and Jones allegedly provided insider information on player injuries and availability, allowing conspirators to place profitable bets on games involving multiple NBA teams.
One cited game involved Rozier leaving early with a fabricated injury, generating tens of thousands in illegal winnings, authorities said, exposing a brazen exploitation of the sport. Rozier’s attorney called the charges based on unreliable sources, noting the player had previously been cleared by the NBA of wrongdoing in a similar investigation.
The NBA Players Association stressed the importance of both the game’s integrity and due process, vowing to protect members’ rights throughout the legal proceedings.