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Getty ImagesUS authorities announced several high-profile arrests on Thursday, including an NBA star and coach, for alleged illegal sports betting.
Among those detained are Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat player Terry Rozier, both of whom were reportedly arrested after their teams’ games on Wednesday.
The arrests are part of a large-scale illegal gambling investigation that has resulted in two indictments, the FBI said — one against players who allegedly faked injuries to influence betting odds and another involving an illegal poker ring linked to organized crime.
Here’s what we know about the cases.
What are the charges?
FBI Director Kash Patel described the allegations to reporters as “mind-boggling.”
They include indictments in two major cases, officials said, both related to fraud.
The first case is called “Operation Nothing But Bet,” where players and associates allegedly used inside information to manipulate bets on major sports betting platforms.
In some cases, players alter their performance or remove themselves from games to ensure those bets are paid, according to New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch. These bets add up to tens of thousands of dollars in winnings.
The second case was more complex in nature, officials said, and involved four of New York’s five major crime families as well as professional athletes.
The defendants in this case are accused of participating in a scheme to rig illegal poker games and steal millions of dollars.
They did so using “very sophisticated” technology, including off-the-shelf shuffling machines, special contact lenses and glasses to read pre-marked cards, according to authorities. They also used an x-ray table that could read cards that were turned face down.
Victims were allegedly lured into playing these games with former professional athletes who acted as “face cards” in the scheme. Little did the victims know that everyone, including the dealer and other players, were involved in the scam.
Authorities said they began investigating these poker games in 2019, covering multiple locations, including the Hamptons, Las Vegas, Miami and Manhattan.
The accused allegedly laundered profits through bank transfers and cryptocurrencies.
They also allegedly committed acts of violence, including armed robbery and extortion of victims.
Both schemes totaled tens of millions of dollars in thefts and robberies over several years and in 11 states, authorities said.
Which players have been arrested?
In all, authorities say 34 defendants have been indicted on charges related to the two fraud cases.
Six were charged in the first case of players allegedly faking injuries to influence betting odds, including Miami Heat player Rozier.
New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said that in March 2023, Rozier, then playing for the Charlotte Hornets, allegedly notified those close to him that he planned to leave a game early due to a suspected injury.
The group members then used that information to make fraudulent bets and withdraw large sums of money, she said.
Commissioner Tisch said Thursday after Rozier’s arrest that his “career is now on the line, not because of injuries, but because of integrity.”
Former NBA player Damon Jones was also arrested. He allegedly participated in two games that were allegedly part of the scheme, when the Los Angeles Lakers met the Milwaukee Bucks in February 2023 and a January 2024 game between the Lakers and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Authorities identified a total of seven NBA games between February 2023 and March 2024 as part of the case:
- February 9, 2023 – Los Angeles Lakers vs. Milwaukee Bucks
- March 23, 2023 – Charlotte Hornets vs. New Orleans Pelicans
- March 24, 2023 – Portland Trail Blazers vs. Chicago Bulls
- April 6, 2023 – Orlando Magic vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
- January 15, 2024 – Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
- January 26, 2024 – Toronto Raptors vs. Los Angeles Clippers
- March 20, 2024 – Toronto Raptors vs. Sacramento Kings
The second case, involving illegal poker games, involved a total of 31 defendants, including Portland Trail Blazers coach Billups, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame last year.
Authorities said three of the defendants have been charged in both cases.
Thirteen members and associates of the Bonannon, Genovese and Gambino crime families in New York were also charged in the illegal poker case.
Charges include robbery, extortion, bank fraud, bank fraud and illegal gambling.
The accused have been arrested and are scheduled to appear in court later Thursday, authorities said. They are expected to be arraigned in Brooklyn, New York, at a later date.
What did the NBA say about the allegations?
In a statement Thursday, the NBA said it was in the process of reviewing the announced federal charges and that it was cooperating with authorities.
The league added that Rozier and Billups have been placed “immediately on leave” by their teams.
“We take these allegations very seriously and the integrity of our game remains our top priority,” the statement said.
Who are the infamous “Five Families” in New York?
Authorities said the alleged scheme involved four of New York’s five well-known crime families.
The five families – Bonanno, Colombo, Gambino, Genovese and Lucchese – have ruled the Italian-American mafia in the city since 1931.
Major mob arrests reduced the prevalence of mob activity in the 1990s, aided by the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and then-New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
But as Thursday’s indictments show, the mafia hasn’t completely disappeared.
The five families are part of the larger American-Sicilian mafia operation known as La Cosa Nostra, which translates as “this thing of ours”, and members often work closely with their counterparts in Sicily.
On the Italian side, gangsters consider New York a “gym” where their members go to get tough, said criminology professor and expert on modern organized crime Anna Sergi. previously told the BBC.
