The NBA has placed a head coach and a player on leave after they were indicted in two separate federal gambling cases linked to organized crime. Trail Blazers head coach and Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat Guard Terry Rozier were both arrested Thursday.
The two are among 34 people charged in two gambling-related federal investigations. Others include suspected members of New York’s Bonanno, Genovese, Gambino and Luchese crime families.
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Following the news of their arrests, the NBA issued the following statement:
“We are in the process of reviewing the federal indictments announced today. 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.”
In regard to Billups, the Trail Blazers said, “We are aware of the allegations involving head coach Chauncey Billups, and the Trail Blazers are fully cooperating with the investigation. Billups has been placed on immediate leave, and Tiago Splitter will assume head coaching duties in the interim.”
‘Operation Royal Flush’
Billups is accused of using his celebrity to draw high-rollers into rigged poker games — games that, prosecutors say, used fixed shuffling machines and even X-ray tech to read cards.
The operation stretched from the Hamptons to Las Vegas and pulled in at least $7 million.
When players couldn’t pay up, the mob allegedly turned violent.
‘Operation Nothing But Net’
Rozier and former player Damon Jones are charged in a related case for allegedly illegally betting on NBA games.
Rozier’s lawyer says he’s been cleared before and plans to fight back.
“What I can tell you is there are a lot of people who are very close-lipped about what happened in 2023. But what I was told is that there was an investigation. They interviewed him twice. They took his phone, downloaded everything, and at the end of the day, end of the day they said there’s nothing to see here and cleared him,” Rozier’s attorney said. “But you know, we got a trophy hunt, so we’re gonna fight it.”
FBI Director Kash Patel says the charges include wire fraud, money laundering, extortion and illegal gambling. He called it one of the largest sports-betting stings in recent memory.
Billups and Rozier specifically have been charged with wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy.
