Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier have been arrested in connection with a sweeping federal investigation into illegal sports betting and Mafia-backed rigged poker schemes, authorities announced on October 23, 2025. The arrests are part of two major indictments involving over 30 individuals, including former NBA players, coaches, and members of the Bonanno, Gambino, Lucchese, and Genovese crime families.
The Sports Betting Conspiracy
Terry Rozier is accused of participating in an insider sports betting conspiracy that exploited confidential NBA information to place illegal wagers, particularly on player prop bets. According to the indictment, Rozier and co-conspirators, including former Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach Damon Jones, used nonpublic knowledge about player injuries and lineup decisions to gain an unfair advantage. One specific incident cited by authorities occurred on March 23, 2023, when Rozier, then with the Charlotte Hornets, allegedly informed associates he would exit early due to a “supposed injury”. He left the game after 9 minutes and 36 seconds, prompting co-defendants to place $200,000 in bets that he would underperform his statistical projections. The game sparked immediate backlash on social media, with bettors accusing sportsbooks of foul play when Rozier failed to return.
Rozier is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, each carrying a maximum 20-year sentence. He was arrested in Orlando on Thursday morning and later released on a $6 million bond secured by his Florida home. His attorney, James Trusty, maintains his innocence, stating, “They appear to be taking the word of spectacularly in-credible sources rather than relying on actual evidence of wrongdoing”.
The Mafia-Linked Poker Scheme
Chauncey Billups, a 2024 Basketball Hall of Famer and 2004 NBA Finals MVP, is charged in a separate but related case involving a nationwide operation to rig high-stakes underground poker games. The scheme, which ran from 2019 to 2025, allegedly used advanced technology such as X-ray tables, rigged shuffling machines, and contact lenses capable of reading marked cards to defraud victims of at least $7 million. Billups and Jones were used as “face cards” to lend legitimacy to the games, which were held in Manhattan, Miami, Las Vegas, and the Hamptons.
U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. described the operation as a “sprawling criminal enterprise” that blurred the lines between professional sports and organized crime. When victims refused to pay their debts, Mafia members resorted to threats and violence. Billups, who coached the Trail Blazers in their season opener on Wednesday night, has been placed on immediate leave, with assistant Tiago Splitter assuming interim duties.
League Response and Next Steps
The NBA has placed both Rozier and Billups on indefinite leave, emphasizing that “the integrity of our game remains our top priority”. The league cooperated with the investigation, which spanned two years and involved the FBI, NYPD, and federal prosecutors. Billups and Jones are expected to be released under strict bail conditions, including prohibitions on gambling and travel. All defendants face up to 40 years in prison if convicted. The case marks one of the most significant threats to NBA integrity since the legalization of sports betting in the U.S.
