NBA coaches, player arrested in Mafia-backed sports rigging schemes

Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and former Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Damon Jones are among 34 people charged in connection with schemes involving illegal sports betting and rigged poker games backed by the Mafia, authorities said on Thursday.

Rozier is accused of participating in an illegal sports betting scheme using private insider NBA information, officials said.

Billups is charged in a separate indictment alleging a wide-ranging scheme to rig underground poker games, authorities said.

FILE – Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier (2) brings the ball up court during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards in Washington, Monday, March 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams, File)

FBI Director Kash Patel and other law enforcement officials said the multiple charges involve four of the five leading mafia families and organized crime networks, and “mind-boggling” amounts of fraud. Rozier’s lawyer, Jim Trusty, accused the FBI of aiming for “misplaced glory” by embarrassing the professional athlete with a perp walk, rather than allowing him to self-surrender.

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Chauncey Billups makes court appearance

Chauncey Billups made his first federal court appearance in Portland on Thursday afternoon, wearing a brown hooded sweatshirt as he sat next to his attorney before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jolie Russo.

Lawyers from both sides told the judge they have agreed on Billups’ release from custody pending trial on certain conditions.

Under the release conditions, Billups must secure “a substantial bond” with the court in the Eastern District of New York, where the case was filed; abide by certain travel restrictions; and surrender his passport, among others. He is also prohibited from gambling related activity. The dollar amount of the bond was not discussed during the court hearing.

Chauncey Billups’ attorney, Chris Heywood, declined to comment after the hearing.

Terry Rozier attorney describes ‘chicaner’ by prosecutors and federal agents

Trusty, Rozier’s attorney, described what he said was “chicanery” of prosecutors and federal agents. The defense attorney said he got a predawn call saying that federal agents were downstairs at Rozier’s hotel in downtown Orlando and that the attorney should call his client to tell him to go downstairs.

Within minutes, federal agents were at the door to Rozier’s hotel room, Trusty told the judge.

“It has had a damaging effect on his career,” Trusty said.

Another condition of Rozier’s release is that he can have no contact with any others named in the indictment, as well as any listed individuals the government provides.

Judge says Rozier can be released by putting house up as bond and surrendering passport

A federal magistrate judge said Thursday that Rozier could be released from custody by putting up his Florida home as bond and surrendering his passport. U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Norway also restricted Rozier’s travel to the continental United States and prohibited him from gambling as conditions for his release.

Federal prosecutors had asked for a $10 million bond but Rozier’s attorney said that was excessive given that the NBA star had no prior record.

“I think it’s Draconian,” said Jim Trusty, Rozier’s attorney. “He is a man of high character.”

In court, Rozier wore a black Charlotte Hornets sweatshirt with green lettering and was shackled and handcuffed. He didn’t speak much except when answering basic questions from the judge.

Rozier is facing two counts: conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Hu. Each count carries no more than 20 years in prison.

Trail Blazers name Tiago Splitter as interim head coach

Assistant coach and former NBA player Tiago Splitter has been named as the team’s interim head coach, according to a statement released Thursday by the Portland Trail Blazers.

“We are aware of the allegations involving head coach Chauncey Billups, and the Trail Blazers are fully cooperating with the investigation. Billups has been placed on immediate leave, and Tiago Splitter will assume head coaching duties in the interim. Any further questions should be directed to the NBA,” the brief statement said.

More details on the defendants

The six defendants in the sports betting indictment include former NBA player and coach Damon Jones, current NBA player Terry Rozier, one of Rozier’s close friends.

Two of the defendants portrayed themselves on Instagram as successful sports bettors and sold sports betting picks through their profiles, according to the indictment.

Jones is also a defendant in the rigged poker game indictment, as is Portland Trail Blazers Coach Chauncey Billups.

The 31 defendants named in the second indictment include 12 people who are identified as either members or associates of the Bonanno, Gambino, Genovese or Lucchese Crime Families.

Portland Trail Blazers cancel scheduled practice

The Portland Trail Blazers canceled their scheduled practice on Thursday.

The team is set to play its first game without head coach Chauncey Billups on Friday night at Portland’s Moda Center against the Golden State Warriors.

Indictments describe several unnamed NBA players

The indictments contain the description of several unnamed NBA players whose injury status and availability for certain games were the source of betting activity. Those players are not accused of any wrongdoing and there is no indication that they would have even known what was being said about their status for those games.

Those players include LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Damian Lillard. Their identities are clear based on a review of corresponding injury reports surrounding games mentioned in the indictment.

The indictments show that certain defendants shared information about the availability of those players in games on March 24, 2023, involving the Portland Trail Blazers, and two in 2023 and 2024 involving the Los Angeles Lakers.

For the Portland game, defendant Eric Earnest, investigators said, was given information that a player who had been listed as probable and then questionable to play that day would not play at all. Those details perfectly match how Lillard was listed on injury reports that day.

Similar patterns were found with Lakers games involving James and Davis, with Jones alleged to have shared their injury information before it was publicly known. In one of the cases, investigators said, Jones got the details wrong and caused some bettors who placed large wagers to lose.

Prosecutors ask judge to detain 13 defendants

Federal prosecutors asked a judge to detain 13 defendants pending trial, including six reputed crime family members, and to not release other defendants unless they post substantial bonds.

“The Court should consider that each of those defendants has taken a lifetime oath to commit crimes and put their crime families above all else,” prosecutors said about the alleged mob associates in a court filing. “Those crime families have a long history of committing crimes, including obstruction of justice.”

Court documents describe violent encounter at poker game run by Gambino associate

Court documents also describe a violent encounter in 2023 at a poker game in Manhattan run by a Gambino crime family associate. Two members of rival crime families that had a poker game in another location on the same night busted into the Gambino associate’s game armed with a gun and baton, sparked a brawl and assaulted the Gambino member, the documents say.

Court documents say proceeds from the rigged card games were laundered through shell companies and cryptocurrency.
FanDuel calls allegations ‘deeply disturbing’

FanDuel, one of the largest sportsbooks, released a statement expressing its concern over Thursday’s developments.

“Today’s events are deeply disturbing, and should concern fans, athletes, and everyone who loves sports and values integrity and fair play,” the company said. “They also illustrate the stark contrast between legal and illegal betting markets. At FanDuel, we use advanced technology and real-time monitoring to identify suspicious activity and work closely with leagues, data monitoring groups, and law enforcement. We are unwavering in our commitment to rooting out abuses by those who seek to undermine fair competition and the games we love.”

NBA players union speaks out

The National Basketball Players Association said it would do all it can to protect the league’s players, including Rozier.

“The integrity of the game is paramount to NBA players, but so is the presumption of innocence, and both are hindered when player popularity is misused to gain attention,” the union said. “We will ensure our members are protected and afforded their due process rights through this process.”

(Associated Press)

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