The NBA was hit with a major scandal today as Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier were arrested by the FBI in connection with extensive federal investigations into illegal gambling. The arrests are part of a sweeping probe that has charged over 30 individuals across two separate criminal cases.
Billups, a Hall of Fame player, was arrested in Portland on charges related to allegedly participating in a rigged, underground poker operation with suspected Mafia ties. His case is reportedly distinct from the sports betting scheme that implicated Rozier. The Blazers coach had been on the sideline for his team’s season opener just hours before being taken into custody.
Rozier was arrested in Orlando on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. He is among six people accused of operating an illegal sports betting ring that leveraged confidential insider NBA information for illicit wagers. This renewed scrutiny comes after Rozier was previously investigated and cleared by the NBA in 2023 for unusual betting activity on a game where he left early due to an injury.
The arrests of two high-profile figures a championship coach and an active player underscore the deep-rooted challenge of illegal gambling within professional sports. Federal prosecutors and the FBI are expected to announce further details later today as the NBA grapples with the fallout of this shocking NBA gambling scandal arrests.
