On Thursday, October 23, 2025, a dramatic federal law-enforcement operation unfolded, resulting in the arrests of more than 30 individuals, including two prominent figures from the NBA: Chauncey Billups, current head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, and Terry Rozier, guard for the Miami Heat.
The probe encompasses two distinct but related schemes. One involves alleged insider sports-betting activity exploiting non-public information about players or coaches. The other targets a rigged underground poker operation allegedly tied to organised crime.
In the case involving Rozier, prosecutors claim he provided confidential information about his playing status or performance to criminal associates, who then placed bets accordingly. One focal incident cited is from March 23, 2023, when Rozier, then with the Charlotte Hornets, reportedly left a game early with a foot injury; documents show a sequence of 30 wagers in 46 minutes placed on the under for his points, rebounds and assists, resulting in significant winnings for bettors.
On the other hand, Billups is alleged to have helped orchestrate a high-stakes poker ring that involved rigged games, manipulated technology (such as fraudulent card shufflers and possibly x-ray tables) and contributions from multiple New York Mafia families. That operation, according to prosecutors, spanned from Manhattan and the Hamptons to Las Vegas, with hundreds of thousands if not millions in illicit proceeds.
Both men now face charges including wire-fraud conspiracy and money-laundering conspiracy, among others. Federal officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York described the case as one of the most serious threats to sporting-integrity since the expansion of legalised sports betting in the United States.
The response from the NBA and the respective franchises has been muted: both Billups’s team and Rozier’s team had not issued detailed public comments at the time of reporting. Authorities emphasised that the investigation is ongoing and that the indictment details remain under seal.
For Rozier, the case represents a major escalation from earlier scrutiny. In January 2025 it was publicly revealed that he was under federal investigation for suspicions tied to the March 2023 game. At that time the NBA had already investigated him and found no violation of league rules.
For Billups, the fall from grace is equally significant. A Hall of Famer and former Finals MVP who has transitioned into coaching, his arrest underscores the far-reaching nature of the probe and its entanglement of high-profile professional sports figures with underground crime networks.
What this means going forward is manifold. The NBA now faces renewed scrutiny over how it monitors and handles player and coach access to non-public information, how prop-bets and individual performance wagers are controlled, and how the league collaborates with sportsbooks and regulators to preserve integrity. One stated concern among lawmakers and enforcement authorities is that the proliferation of legalised sports betting may have outpaced the safeguards needed to prevent manipulation by insiders. nba
For the individuals involved, the legal exposure is serious. If convicted, both Rozier and Billups could face long prison sentences, substantial forfeiture of assets and potentially lifetime bans from the NBA. For the league’s credibility, the stakes are equally high: a widening scandal risks eroding public trust, undermining fan engagement and prompting stricter regulation of sports-betting markets.
In summary, the arrests of Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier as part of a sweeping federal gambling investigation mark a tipping point for the intersection of professional basketball and illegal wagering. As more details emerge and the indictments proceed, the ramifications will likely stretch far beyond the two individuals, touching the structures of team operations, league oversight and the rapidly evolving sports-betting industry.
