NBA Rocked by Fraud and Mafia Allegations: Rozier, Billups Among 34 Indicted
A multi-year FBI investigation has sent shockwaves through the NBA, revealing alleged fraud schemes involving star players, coaches, and connections to New York’s notorious mafia families. A Brooklyn court heard this week that the sprawling case, encompassing illegal betting and rigged poker games, could be headed towards plea deals as authorities pursue charges against 34 individuals.
The allegations, described by FBI Director Kash Patel as “mind-boggling,” center around two distinct but interconnected schemes. The first, dubbed “Operation Nothing But Bet,” involves the manipulation of wagers on major sports betting platforms through insider information. The second, a more complex operation, allegedly involved rigging high-stakes poker games with the aid of sophisticated technology and ties to four of New York’s “Five Families.”
NBA Stars Implicated in Betting Scheme
Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and former NBA player Damon Jones are among those charged in the betting scheme. Rozier, currently in the final year of a four-year, $96 million contract, has pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. His bail has been set at $3 million (£2.2 million).
According to New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Rozier allegedly informed associates in March 2023 of his intention to leave a game early with a fabricated injury while playing for the Charlotte Hornets. This information was then exploited to place fraudulent bets, resulting in significant profits. Tisch stated after the arrest that Rozier’s “career is already benched, not for injury but for integrity.”
Jones, who has also pleaded not guilty, is alleged to have been involved in games between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Milwaukee Bucks in February 2023, and the Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder in January 2024. Authorities claim he shared inside information about a prominent NBA player’s impending injury with bettors.
Seven NBA games between February 2023 and March 2024 have been identified as part of the alleged scheme:
- 9 February 2023 – Los Angeles Lakers v Milwaukee Bucks
- 23 March 2023 – Charlotte Hornets v New Orleans Pelicans
- 24 March 2023 – Portland Trail Blazers v Chicago Bulls
- 6 April 2023 – Orlando Magic v Cleveland Cavaliers
- 15 January 2024 – Los Angeles Lakers v Oklahoma City Thunder
- 26 January 2024 – Toronto Raptors v Los Angeles Clippers
- 20 March 2024 – Toronto Raptors v Sacramento Kings
Mafia-Linked Poker Operation Uncovered
A separate indictment details an elaborate scheme to rig illegal poker games, attracting high-stakes players with the allure of former professional athletes. Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, a recent inductee into the Basketball Hall of Fame, is among the 31 defendants charged in this case. He has pleaded not guilty and his bail was set at $5 million.
Prosecutors allege Billups served as a “face card,” lending prestige to the operation and enticing unsuspecting players. The games were allegedly rigged using advanced technology, including off-the-shelf shuffling machines, specialized contact lenses and eyeglasses to read pre-marked cards, and even an X-ray table capable of revealing face-down cards.
Thirteen members and associates of the Bonanno, Genovese, and Gambino crime families were also indicted, facing charges including robbery, extortion, wire fraud, bank fraud, and illegal gambling. Authorities say the scheme spanned multiple locations, including the Hamptons, Las Vegas, Miami, and Manhattan, beginning as early as 2019. The accused allegedly laundered profits through bank wires and cryptocurrencies, and engaged in acts of violence, including robbery and extortion.
NBA Response and Ongoing Investigation
The NBA has placed both Rozier and Billups on immediate leave from their teams while it cooperates with federal authorities. In a statement, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver expressed his dismay, stating, “There’s nothing more important to the league and its fans than the integrity of the competition. I had a pit in my stomach. It was very upsetting.”
Silver revealed the NBA previously investigated Rozier in 2023 after sportsbooks flagged unusual activity on “prop bets” related to his performance. While the league ultimately concluded there was insufficient evidence to proceed at that time, Silver acknowledged the current allegations are deeply concerning.
The “Five Families” – Bonanno, Colombo, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese – have historically controlled organized crime in New York City since 1931. While major crackdowns in the 1990s diminished their influence, authorities emphasize that the mafia remains a presence, operating as part of the larger American-Sicilian mafia network known as La Cosa Nostra.
The investigation remains ongoing, with plea deal negotiations underway for some of those charged. The full extent of the alleged schemes and their impact on the NBA and the wider world of sports betting remains to be seen.
