Big Names in Sports Caught in a Big Mess

The FBI has made some big arrests in the world of basketball. Chauncey Billups, a coach for the Portland Trail Blazers, Terry Rozier, a player for the Miami Heat, and former player Damon Jones are all in trouble. They are accused of being part of two illegal gambling schemes. One involved betting on NBA games using secret information. The other was about rigged poker games. The FBI says these schemes were run by New York crime families. They involved a lot of money—tens of millions of dollars. More than 30 people were arrested in eleven states. The FBI director, Kash Patel, called it a huge operation that went on for years. One of the schemes involved insiders like Rozier and Jones. They allegedly shared secret information about NBA games. This information was used to place illegal bets. The other scheme involved poker games where the players were cheated using special technology.Rozier's lawyer, James Trusty, said the arrest was a surprise. He claimed Rozier was not a target but a subject of the investigation. Trusty also said the NBA had cleared Rozier of any wrongdoing. Rozier is ready to fight the charges. In 2023, the NBA noticed unusual betting activity related to Rozier's performance. He played poorly in a game and then left due to an injury. The NBA investigated but found no wrongdoing. However, the federal investigation continued. Another former NBA player, Jontay Porter, was also involved. He was banned for life by the NBA in 2024. He pleaded guilty to federal charges and will be sentenced in December. The NBA has cooperated with the federal investigation. However, the league has not commented on the recent arrests. It is unclear who is representing Billups and Jones in these cases.