Live updates: NBA’s Terry Rozier, Chauncey Billups among 31 arrested in gambling-related cases
FBI will never take its eye off ‘Italian organized crime,’ official says
Christopher Raia, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s New York field office, gave an impassioned statement on the threat of organized crime at today’s press conference.
“Let me be clear about this fact: The FBI has not and will never take their eye off the ball when it comes to Italian organized crime in this city, specifically the [La Cosa Nostra] and the five families here in New York,” Raia said.
He went on to thank the FBI’s New York Eurasian Organized Crime Task Force for its work on the case.
Officials dub NBA gambling scheme investigation ‘Operation Nothing But Bet’
New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the investigation into the alleged scheme involving fraudulent NBA bets was dubbed “Operation Nothing But Bet.”
Officials dub investigation into alleged poker scheme ‘Operation Royal Flush’
Federal officials are calling the investigation into the alleged poker scheme “Operation Royal Flush,” according to Ricky Patel, the special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New York.
He added that dozens of suspects were arrested early this morning. He described the alleged involvement of three La Cosa Nostra crime families as a “wakeup call.”
“The years of investigative work that culminated with this morning’s operations seem reminiscent of a Hollywood movie, but this wasn’t luck, and this wasn’t theatrics,” he said. “This was an evidence-driven, relentless and unified effort among law enforcement through what we have dubbed ‘Operation Royal Flush.'”
Hidden cameras, special eyeglasses and X-ray poker tables
Prosecutors allege that during the fraudulent poker games, those involved used technology to rig the games and cheat victims.
Some of those allegedly included poker chip tray analyzers, which Nocella described as poker chip trays that secretly read cards with a hidden camera and special contact lenses or eyeglasses that can read pre-marked cards.
An X-ray table that could read cards face down on the table was also used, Nocella alleged.
Three of the defendants were involved in both schemes
Three of the more than 30 defendants targeted in today’s indictments were allegedly involved in both the sports betting scheme and the fraudulent gambling scheme, said Christopher Raia, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s New York field office.
It was not immediately clear which of the three were indicted in connection with both schemes.
Professional athletes allegedly used as ‘face cards’ to lure victims
As part of the alleged scheme to fix poker games, professional athletes were allegedly used to lure victims to the table, with prosecutors describing them as “face cards.”
“The so-called face cards included the defendant Chauncey Billups — who at the time of the scheme was a former NBA player and is currently the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers — and also Damon Jones, a former NBA player,” Nocella said.
The victims were allegedly referred to as “fish,” people who had no idea that everyone else at the table was in on the scam, Nocella said Thursday.
“Once the game was underway, the defendants fleeced the victims out of tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars per game,” the prosecutor said.
Mafia families allegedly fixed underground poker games
The second indictment was allegedly involving a nationwide scheme to rig illegal poker games.
U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said 31 people have been taken into custody in connection with this scheme, including former professional athletes. The suspects allegedly used high-tech cheating technology to steal millions of dollars from secretly rigged underground poker games.
These games were backed by the Bonanno, Gambino and Genovese crime families, Nocella said. The federal prosecutor reminded the public that these remain allegations until proved otherwise in court.
“But my message to the defendants who have been rounded up today is this: Your winning streak has ended,” Nocella said. “Your luck has run out — violating the law is a losing proposition, and you can bet on that.”
NBA betting scheme ends in 6 arrests
The two indictments being unsealed today both have to do with a fraud ring — one involves sports betting and the other involves illegal gambling.
The first involves six people who engaged in “one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said, including Rozier.
He referenced Jontay Porter, who was arrested earlier this year for his alleged role in the scheme.
“Since online sports betting became widely legalized in the United States, this scheme is an insider sports betting conspiracy that exploited confidential information about National Basketball Association athletes and teams,” he added.
The alleged scheme involved planning around when players would be sitting out future games or when they planned to pull themselves out of games due to injury.
The group allegedly relied on NBA insiders to place thousands of dollars in sports bets through an online sports book and in casinos.
“Most of these bets succeeded, and the intended losses were in the millions of dollars,” Nocella said. “The defendants then laundered their illegal winnings in various ways, peer-to-peer platforms, bank wires and simple cash exchanges.”
Defendants are facing charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Mob families apparently involved in widespread gambling case
It appears that four of the five most notorious mafia families have some connection to the gambling case, according to FBI Director Kash Patel.
“Not only did we crack into the fraud that these perpetrators committed on the grand stage of the NBA, but we also entered and executed a system of justice against La Cosa Nostra to include the Bonanno, Gambino, Genovese and Lucchese crime families,” Patel told reporters.
He did not provide additional details at the top of the press conference, but said more details on the mob’s involvement would come.
FBI Director Kash Patel speaks at EDNY press conference
FBI Director Kash Patel joined New York officials at a news conference announcing a “wide sweeping criminal enterprise” this morning.
The “illegal gambling operation and sports rigging operation” spanned years, he said, noting that the FBI worked across 11 states to arrest more than 30 individuals on charges that range from wire fraud and money laundering to extortion, robbery and illegal gambling, he said.
“The fraud is mind-boggling,” Patel said, describing tens of millions of dollars in fraud.
31 people in custody in this case, prosecutors say
Prosecutors have moved to unseal the indictments in a case they say involves more than two dozen people.
John Marzulli, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, said the two men will be arraigned sometime today. Rozier will attend a hearing in Florida, while Billups will be arraigned in Portland.
More people are expected to be named in the case, as dozens have already been detained.
“I believe there’s about 31 people in custody, and others will be there, will be some who will self-surrender,” Marzulli said.
Tommy Gelardo arrested this morning
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Tommy Gelardo was also arrested this morning, an FBI spokesperson said.
Billups will be arraigned in Portland later today
Chauncey Billups is set to be arraigned later today in Portland, where he resides, officials with the Eastern District of New York said in a press conference. He will face charges in Brooklyn in relation to the case.
Rozier was a ‘subject, not a target’ until this morning, defense lawyer says
Jim Trusty, the lawyer representing Terry Rozier, said he reached out to prosecutors before Rozier’s arrest this morning to “have an open line of communication.”
At the time, “they characterized Terry as a subject, not a target, but at 6 a.m. this morning they called to tell me FBI agents were trying to arrest him in a hotel,” Trusty said.
He called it “unfortunate” that prosecutors “opted for a photo-op” instead of allowing Rozier to turn himself in.
“They wanted the misplaced glory of embarrassing a professional athlete with a perp walk. That tells you a lot about the motivations in this case,” Trusty said. “They appear to be taking the word of spectacularly in-credible sources rather than relying on actual evidence of wrongdoing.”
Trusty noted that Rozier was “cleared by the NBA” and that prosecutors are now bringing back to life what he called a “non-case.”
“Terry is not a gambler, but he is not afraid of a fight, and he looks forward to winning this fight,” Trusty said.
Former NBA star Chauncey Billups was known as ‘Mr. Big Shot’
Chauncey Billups entered coaching following a widely lauded 17-season playing career that culminated in the sport’s highest honor: enshrinement in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024.
Thursday’s arrests occurred the morning after the Trail Blazers, the team Billups has coached since 2021, opened their season with a 114-118 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
A high school and collegiate star out of Colorado, Billups, 49, entered the NBA in 1997 as the third overall draft pick. By 2014, his clutch baskets and on-court leadership were vital to Detroit’s NBA championship over the Lakers. The title run earned him the nickname “Mr. Big Shot,” the honor of being named the NBA Finals MVP, and transformed his career. Between 2006 and 2010, Billups was voted an All-Star five times.
Chauncey Billups of the Detroit Pistons drives against Jameer Nelson of the Orlando Magic in 2008.D. Lippitt / Einstein / NBAE via Getty Images file
After retiring in 2014, Billups worked as an NBA analyst for ESPN. After one season as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Clippers, he was hired by the Portland Trail Blazers in 2021.
Terry Rozier to appear in court in Florida this afternoon
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NBA player Terry Rozier is set to appear in federal court this afternoon in Orlando, the court has confirmed. His first appearance after being arrested this morning is expected between 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Former Cleveland Cavaliers player Damon Jones arrested in Las Vegas
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The FBI has confirmed that former player Damon Jones has been arrested in Las Vegas. No further details were released.
Jones played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and several other teams.
Damon Jones with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2006.Ron Hoskins / NBAE via Getty Images file
Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups arrested, sources say
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Chauncey Billups, coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, has also been arrested in the probe, two law enforcement officials say. Billups’ attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment
Chauncey Billups before a game in 2024.Alika Jenner / Getty Images file
Charges coming in federal gambling probe, officials tell NBC News
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The FBI and other officials will be announcing charges later this morning in the federal gambling-related investigation, two senior law enforcement officials told NBC News.
Members and associates of organized crime groups are among the couple dozen people expected to face criminal charges in two separate illegal gambling-related cases.
Miami Heat’s Terry Rozier arrested in federal gambling-related investigation
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Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was arrested on Thursday morning in Orlando, Florida, in a federal gambling-related investigation, two senior law enforcement officials told NBC News.
Rozier joined the Heat in 2024 from the Charlotte Hornets. The Ohio native and 10-year NBA veteran was picked 16th overall by the Boston Celtics in the 2015 NBA draft, after playing college basketball for the Louisville Cardinals.
It is not immediately clear which case Rozier is allegedly involved with. The Miami Heat did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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