The FBI has arrested over 30 individuals, including Miami Heat player Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, in a sweeping investigation into illegal sports betting and mafia-linked poker games. These arrests come on the heels of revelations that NBA players were allegedly involved in schemes to manipulate gambling outcomes, including faking injuries.
Rozier, 31, was among six individuals charged in connection with allegedly skewing betting irregularities by leaving games early to affect betting odds. He and Billups, a Hall of Fame player, have both publicly denied the allegations, with Rozier's lawyer asserting that the accusations lack credible evidence.
The crackdown has unveiled a series of rigged poker games aided by technology, including specially designed glasses and shuffling machines that could read cards, as part of a scam perpetrated by members of organized crime families in New York. Prosecutors indicated that the scheme cost victims millions of dollars, highlighting the intricate involvement of high-profile sports figures.
FBI Director Kash Patel described the arrests as extraordinary, revealing a coordinated takedown across multiple states valued at tens of millions of dollars, as the integrity of the NBA and other major sports leagues come into question. Legal representatives for both Rozier and Billups have vowed to fight the allegations, stating that their clients are prepared to clear their names as investigations continue.
