An FBI investigation into illegal sports betting and allegedly rigged poker games has led to the arrest of several individuals, including NBA player Terry Rozier of the Miami Heat and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups. Federal prosecutors announced the indictments on Thursday, with both Rozier and Billups denying the charges.
Rozier is among six individuals accused of betting irregularities, with allegations that some NBA players faked injuries to manipulate gambling outcomes. Billups is one of 31 charged in a separate indictment involving an illegal poker operation linked to organized crime. This case reportedly involved four of New York’s five major crime families and featured tactics such as utilizing technology to read marked cards during poker games.
The NBA has placed Rozier and Billups on administrative leave as it reviews the federal indictments. Rozier’s attorney has stated that his client is not a gambler and looks forward to contesting the claims. He was released on bail after using his home as collateral. Billups appeared in court after being arrested in Oregon and is preparing a bond for his release.
FBI Director Kash Patel highlighted the scale of the investigation, which spanned multiple states, alleging “tens of millions of dollars” involved in fraud-related activities. The investigation revealed a scheme where players used insider information to affect gambling markets, with Rozier allegedly communicating injury news that swayed bets on a specific game.
As sports betting has become increasingly legalized across the U.S., this investigation underscores potential vulnerabilities in the integrity of competitive sports. The second indictment also included allegations of a scheme to rig poker games, wherein players were allegedly lured into rigged games hosted by former athletes. The conspiracy is reported to have defrauded victims of over $7 million.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgmpp3x5x5o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss