NBA gambling scandal: FBI arrests mafia-linked players and coaches in massive betting probe

• Thirty-four individuals were arrested, including NBA head coach Chauncey Billups (Portland Trail Blazers), guard Terry Rozier (Miami Heat) and ex-player Damon Jones. FBI alleges ties to organized crime (Bonanno, Genovese, Gambino families), raising concerns about corruption in pro sports.
• Billups and Jones were accused of using pre-programmed card shufflers to cheat players out of hundreds of thousands per game. Rozier allegedly faked an injury in March 2023 after tipping off gamblers, while Jones leaked confidential injury reports on stars like LeBron James.
• Billups and Rozier were placed on “immediate leave.” Commissioner Adam Silver calls for federal regulation of sports betting, citing state-by-state legalization as insufficient.
• FBI bust reveals deep mafia involvement in underground gambling operations. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirms players manipulated performances to rig bets.
• Scandal fuels debate over sports betting oversight and whether more arrests will follow.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) was rocked Thursday, Oct. 23, by a sweeping federal investigation into illegal gambling operations, resulting in the arrests of 34 individuals—including high-profile figures like Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and former NBA player Damon Jones.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) alleges ties between the gambling schemes and organized crime families, raising serious concerns about corruption in professional sports.

FBI Director Kash Patel announced the arrests at a press conference, emphasizing the scale of the operation.

“This is an operation that showcases to you that under President Trump’s administration, there is no room for any type of criminal behavior, be it on the world’s largest stage or in the back rooms of tiny parlors where card games were being played,” Patel declared.

The indictments span two major conspiracies:

• Rigged poker games: Billups and Jones are accused of participating in a sophisticated poker scam that allegedly fleeced victims out of hundreds of thousands of dollars per game. According to U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr., the operation used “self-shuffling machines secretly altered to read cards, predict winning hands and relay information to an offsite operator.” Players then used hidden signals to exploit the rigged games. The scheme reportedly involved members of the Bonanno, Genovese and Gambino crime families, who took a cut of the profits and enforced debt collection.
• Insider sports betting: Rozier and others allegedly exploited confidential NBA information to manipulate bets. Rozier is accused of intentionally leaving a March 2023 game early with a “supposed injury” after informing a childhood friend, De’Niro Laster, who then sold the tip to gamblers. Rozier played just 9 minutes that night—far below his usual performance—before sitting out the rest of the season. Jones, meanwhile, allegedly leaked insider injury details about star players, including LeBron James and Anthony Davis, to betting rings.

BrightU.AI‘s Enoch defines insider sports betting as a form of gambling that leverages insider knowledge and connections to gain an unfair advantage over the general public.

The NBA swiftly placed Billups and Rozier on “immediate leave” pending further review. Commissioner Adam Silver, who has long advocated for federal oversight of sports betting, reiterated his concerns. “I think, probably, there should be more regulation, frankly,” Silver said. “I wish there was federal legislation rather than state by state.”

The scandal casts a shadow over the league’s integrity, particularly as legalized sports betting expands across 39 states. The NBA had previously cleared Rozier in an internal probe but lacks subpoena power, limiting its ability to uncover deeper wrongdoing.

Mafia ties and wider implications

The FBI’s operation also targeted members of the Bonanno, Gambino, Genovese and Lucchese crime families, exposing deep-rooted corruption in underground gambling. New York Police District (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica Tisch condemned the schemes, stating players “sometimes altered their performance or removed themselves from games early” to rig bets.

Nocella delivered a stark warning: “Your winning streak has ended. Your luck has run out.”

The legal process could take months, with potential prison sentences and lifetime bans from the NBA looming. Meanwhile, the scandal reignites debates over sports betting regulation and the vulnerability of professional leagues to criminal influence.

As the FBI’s investigation continues, more arrests could follow—leaving fans, player, and officials questioning just how deep the corruption runs.

Watch the video below about former NBA referee Tim Donaghy breaking down the manipulation across the NBA.

This video is from the Brayoda channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

TheNationalPulse.com

BrightU.ai

USAToday.com

SkyNews.com

Brighteon.com