What we know
- Federal prosecutors said today that more than 30 people had been indicted in two illegal gambling-related cases.
- Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and former NBA player Damon Jones were among those arrested and accused of being involved in one of the schemes.
- The Lucchese, Bonanno, Gambino and Genovese Mafia families were alleged to be involved in backing rigged poker games to scam victims out of hundreds of thousands of dollars, officials announced.
- Three of the more than 30 defendants are accused of being 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.
- In one of the alleged schemes, poker games were rigged using technology such as chip tray analyzers and an X-ray table that could read cards face down on the table, prosecutors said.
- The NBA said Billups and Rozier have been placed on immediate leave from their teams following their arrests.
FanDuel, DraftKings defend legal market after indictments
Two of the nation’s biggest online sports books market defended the legal market after today’s indictments.
“Today’s events are deeply disturbing, and should concern fans, athletes, and everyone who loves sports and values integrity and fair play,” a spokesperson for FanDuel said.
“They also illustrate the stark contrast between legal and illegal betting markets. At FanDuel, we use advanced technology and real-time monitoring to identify suspicious activity and work closely with leagues, data monitoring groups, and law enforcement,” the spokesperson said.
DraftKings also defended the legal market.
“We fundamentally believe that regulated online sports betting is the best way forward to monitor for and detect suspicious behavior while offering consumer protections backed by advanced technology, neither of which exist in the pervasive illegal market,” DraftKings said.
Legal sports books were used the illegal NBA sports betting scheme, which FBI Director Kash Patel compared to insider trading, but which ones were not named at a news conference.
They are not accused of any wrongdoing.
“The sports books themselves are victims in this case,” Joseph Nocella, Jr., U.S attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said at a news conference.
Trail Blazers coach Billups appears in court
Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups appeared in federal court today and acknowledged his right to remain silent with “yes,” according to a reporter from NBC affiliate KGW of Portland who was there.
Billups did not make any plea in the appearance at U.S. District Court in Portland.
He was released on conditions after an an agreement between prosecutors and defense attorneys, according to KGW. Those conditions include travel restrictions, no gambling activity, a no contact order and standard conditions regarding firearms, according to the station.
Photo shows Rozier released from federal custody in Florida
Shortly after being asked to put his home up as collateral, Terry Rozier walked out of the Orlando courthouse of his own accord.
Rozier waived his right to have his future hearings in Florida, and his next expected court date will be in Brooklyn, New York, in December. He was ordered to surrender his passport to authorities by tomorrow afternoon.
The judge also ordered him not to gamble, "either in person or using an online device."
'This is not Jontay Porter,' Rozier's attorney says
Attorney Jim Trusty told reporters he thinks his client has a "great case" following Rozier's initial hearing at a federal courthouse in Orlando, Florida, this afternoon.
The attorney denied that Rozier faked an injury in a game where he allegedly tipped off his childhood friend that he would be leaving early. Prosecutors said that friend later sold the information as part of a sports betting ring.
Rozier had a medical follow-up after leaving a game in March 2023, his attorney said.
"He had a bunch of people that he appropriately confided in, and he had an injury, and he didn't play another game," Trusty said.
He later added, "This is not Jontay Porter."
Rozier expected to be released today after putting home up as collateral
Terry Rozier is expected to be released from federal custody later today after a Florida judge denied a request from prosecutors to set a $10 million bond for the NBA star.
Instead, the judge only required Rozier to put up his $6 million Florida home as collateral for bond and surrender his passport by tomorrow afternoon.
Rozier appeared in court wearing a black Hornets hoodie, gym shorts and low-top sneakers.
Vouching for his client’s character, Rozier’s attorney Jim Trusty told the court that Rozier is "a man who doesn’t gamble." Trusty also used the presence of Rozier's mother in court to emphasize that he is not a flight risk.
The government did not seek detention, but rather sought $10 million bond, citing Rozier’s $20 million salary and $130 million earnings over the years, as well as other valuables and property.
Trail Blazers address Billups arrest, announce interim head coach
The Portland Trail Blazers released a statement saying they were cooperating with authorities following the arrest of head coach Chauncey Billups and have named assistant coach Tiago Splitter as the interim head coach.
“We are aware of the allegations involving head coach Chauncey Billups, and the Trail Blazers are fully cooperating with the investigation," the statement said.
"Billups has been placed on immediate leave, and Tiago Splitter will assume head coaching duties in the interim," the team announced. "Any further questions should be directed to the NBA."
Jontay Porter, who pleaded guilty in 2024 betting scandal, mentioned in indictment
Former Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter is mentioned in today's sports betting indictment, but Porter himself is not named as a defendant in the scheme.
Porter pleaded guilty in 2024 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud over a betting scandal that prompted the NBA to ban him. The former center gave tips to other men that he was going to exit two games early, allowing them or their relatives to place big bets, according to a complaint filed in his case.
During his plea hearing, Porter said he agreed to withdraw from games to clear his own gambling debts. An NBA investigation into Porter found that he also wagered on games that he didn't play in, even betting against his own team at least once.
Porter faces up to four years in prison in addition to large fines, but his sentencing has been delayed.
The Operation Noting But Bet indictment mentions both games Porter pulled out of, alleging that one of Porter's conspirators gave the information to defendants named in the indictment to place bets.
How the sports betting scheme allegedly worked
Six named suspects in Operation Nothing But Bet are facing charges stemming from financial crimes as part of a larger alleged scheme to sell information for bets.
According to prosecutors, a group of co-conspirators that included Jones and Rozier gave the nonpublic information to a network of individuals to place bets.
The bets were allegedly all made with the intention of profiting off the scheme at the expense of the betting companies. Many of the wagers were placed in connection with betting lines that did not reflect or account for the private information, the indictment said.
That's what makes the wagers more profitable.
The bets were allegedly made using mobile applications and retail sportsbooks. Prosecutors say the conspiracy resulted in materially false and misleading representations being made to the betting companies.
Suspects and their co-conspirators were also involved in payments using a variety of platforms, including peer-to-peer payment transfers, bank wires and cash exchanges, the prosecutors alleged.
How the high-profile gambling arrests could affect the NBA season and league
The arrests could have a destabilizing effect on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Miami Heat as the NBA season begins. NBC News’ Andrew Greif details the implications these investigations will have for the teams and the league.
Conspirators allegedly bet $100,000 against the Lakers before Anthony Davis injury went public
Jones also allegedly sold other nonpublic information about a Lakers player to conspirators that led to a $100,000 bet against the team during a Jan. 15, 2024, game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
According to the indictment, Jones gave away information about an athlete identified only as Player 4 being injured before the game. The information was not public at the time and the bet was made hours before the player was listed as "probable" in the NBA's injury report.
Anthony Davis was the only Lakers player listed as probable on the injury report from that day.
"Ultimately, Player 4 played in the January 15 Game in line with his season average in minutes and performed well, and the Lakers won the game," the indictment said.
