A sweeping federal probe into illegal gambling and sports-betting manipulation was unveiled Thursday by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), sending shockwaves through the NBA and raising serious questions about league integrity and the rapid expansion of legalized betting.
Two high-profile NBA figures were named among the 30+ individuals charged: including Terry Rozier (guard for the Miami Heat) whom was arrested in Orlando early Thursday and is accused of providing non-public game-performance information that was used for prop-bets.
Additionally, Chauncey Billups (head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers) was arrested in Oregon and is implicated in a separate but related scheme involving rigged poker games tied to organized-crime families.
According to the indictment, Rozier allegedly told associates he would exit a certain game in advance, allowing co-conspirators to bet successfully on his under-performance. Billups, meanwhile, is alleged to have acted as a so-called “face card” for underground poker games, playing alongside victims and using technology to rig the games.
Prosecutors say NBA insiders provided private information to bettors, who placed wagers based on player stats, minutes, lineup changes and other non-public intel. One example cited is a March 2023 game where Rozier left early, having allegedly forewarned conspirators, enabling hundreds of thousands in winning bets.
The second investigation involved underground poker games across the U.S., using advanced cheating devices (e.g., altered shuffling machines, hidden cameras, x-ray tables) to ensure certain players won, with ties to four major New York Mafia families. Billups and others are charged with wire fraud and money-laundering conspiracies.
The Blazers immediately placed Billups on leave and announced assistant Tiago Splitter as interim coach. The NBA placed Rozier on leave from the Heat.