photo FBI Director Kash Patel
Federal Authorities Uncover Sprawling Criminal Network Linking NBA Figures to Organized Crime
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Portland OR, The integrity of the NBA has been rocked by a massive federal investigation. In a stunning announcement on Thursday, law enforcement officials confirmed the arrests of over 30 individuals—including Portland Trail Blazers Head Coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat Guard Terry Rozier—in connection with two wide-ranging criminal schemes involving illegal gambling and “sports rigging.”
FBI Director Kash Patel described the operation as a “historic arrest across a wide, sweeping criminal enterprise that envelops both the NBA and La Cosa Nostra (the Mafia).”
Two Indictments, One Massive Scandal
The arrests stem from two separate, but connected, federal cases that exposed highly sophisticated fraud and criminal collusion:
Case 1: The Rigged Poker Ring (Operation Royal Flush)
- The Accusation: This indictment, involving 31 defendants including Chauncey Billups and former NBA player Damon Jones, alleges a nationwide scheme to rig underground, high-stakes poker games.
- The Tech: Prosecutors revealed the use of “high-tech cheating technology,” including tampered shuffling machines, special glasses or contact lenses that could read pre-marked cards, and even X-ray tables to read face-down cards.
- The Mafia Link: The games in the New York area were allegedly backed by the Bonanno, Gambino, Lucchese and Genovese crime families, creating a “financial pipeline” for organized criminal activity.
- The Roles: Unsuspecting victims, known as “fish,” were allegedly lured by the chance to play alongside pro athletes, dubbed “face cards” (like Billups and Jones), who were reportedly “in on the scam.”
- Charges: Billups, a Hall of Famer and 2004 NBA Finals MVP, is charged with wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy.
Case 2: The Insider Sports Betting Conspiracy (Operation Nothing but Bet)
- The Accusation: This case, involving Terry Rozier and Damon Jones, is described as one of the “most brazen sports corruption schemes” since the legalization of online sports betting.
- The Scam: Rozier and Jones are accused of exploiting confidential, non-public information—such as player injury status or lineup decisions—to place fraudulent wagers, primarily prop bets.
- Specific Allegations: The indictment suggests Jones leaked information about the injury status of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James before a February 2023 game. Rozier is accused of alerting bettors before he removed himself early from a March 2023 game with a “purported injury” to successfully hit the “under” on his own statistics.
- Charges: Rozier is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
NBA Takes Immediate Action
The NBA released an immediate statement following the arrests, confirming that both Rozier (31) and Billups (49) “are being placed on immediate leave from their teams.”
“We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and the integrity of our game remains our top priority,” the league said, adding that it will continue to cooperate with authorities.
Damon Jones, a former 10-year NBA player, is charged in both major cases. Former Raptors player Jontay Porter previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy in the sports gambling scheme.
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I think the last time I watched an NBA game was back in 1994.