By Itoro N. Umontuen
BLACKPRESSUSA Newswire – One suspicion regarding illegal sports betting and another regarding illegal gambling operations, plus rigged poker games has yielded a take down of 34 people, including a current NBA player, a current NBA head coach, and a former NBA player.
Credit: AP Photo/Jenny Kane
Among those charged and arrested Oct. 23 are Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, and former Cleveland Cavaliers player and coach Damon Jones. The sweeping investigation connects the trio to a network allegedly linked to La Cosa Nostra, one of the most notorious Mafia organizations in the U.S.
According to federal indictments from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of New York, the operation involved both illegal sports betting and rigged poker games, implicating members of the Bonano, Gambino, Luchese and Genovese crime families.
After the indictment was unsealed, Billups and Rozier were placed on indefinite leave by the NBA.
“We are in the process of reviewing the federal indictments announced today,” the NBA said in a statement. “Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups are being placed on immediate leave from their teams, and we will continue to cooperate with the relevant authorities. We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and the integrity of our game remains our top priority.”
Terry Rozier’s alleged role in the scheme
Prosecutors claim Terry Rozier, 31, intentionally removed himself from a 2023 NBA game so an associate could place a winning bet. Between December 2022 and March 2024, Rozier and Jones allegedly exploited confidential insider information about player availability, injuries and rest schedules to place lucrative bets.
This information, shared through Rozier’s associate Deniro “Niro” Laster, allegedly led to more than $250,000 in successful prop bets, prosecutors say.
The charges echo the recent case of former Toronto Raptors forward Johntay Porter, who pleaded guilty in 2024 to fixing his own stats to profit from prop bets. Rozier was arrested in Orlando, Fla., and now faces two felony counts — conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Each charge carries a potential 20-year prison sentence.
Damon Jones’s alleged role in the scheme
Damon Jones, 49, is accused of leveraging his NBA relationships to gather inside information for gamblers. The indictment describes him as a former teammate and coach of an unnamed “Player 3” during the 2022–2023 season — later confirmed by ESPN’s Shams Charania to reference LeBron James.
Authorities claim Jones sold confidential team information to professional gamblers, directly contributing to the multi-million-dollar betting scheme.
“With the alleged involvement of three La Cosa Nostra crime families, an NBA head coach and Hall of Famer, as well as other current and former professional athletes, the investigative work that culminated with this morning’s operation is reminiscent of a Hollywood movie. But this was not luck, and it was not theatrics,” stated HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Kash Patel.
Why is ‘Mr. Big Shot’ in it?
Chauncey Billups, 49, was arrested at his home on the morning of Oct. 23, a day after coaching the Trail Blazers’ season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Hall of Famer faces charges of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy for allegedly participating in rigged high-stakes poker games associated with Mafia-backed card rings.
Prosecutors allege Billups and co-conspirators cheated victims out of at least $7 million through manipulated games tied to multiple New York crime families.
Billups appeared in court on Oct. 23 at the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse in Portland, where he was released on his own recognizance under the condition that he remain within Oregon and Colorado.
What happens next?
Rozier will put his home up for sale for collateral. Both Billups and Rozier have surrendered their United States passports. Their respective careers are on hold pending the outcome of their investigations.
“Over four years ago, HSI New York uncovered the operation and worked tirelessly with HSI Newark, the FBI, the New York Waterfront Commission, and the NYPD to expose crimes that defrauded victims of at least $7 million dollars and included violent robberies,” Patel continued. “I commend all agencies and personnel involved in today’s sweeping arrests, which should serve as a testament to our relentless, evidence-driven and unified effort.”
