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The FBI arrested Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trailblazers head coach Chauncey Billups on Thursday morning as part of a major crackdown on an alleged gambling operation. Former NBA player Damon Jones was also taken into custody in the sweeping action that’s sent shockwaves through the basketball world.
According to Joseph Nocella, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, the arrests stem from two separate fraud investigations — one connected to sports betting and another involving “rigged poker games.” The FBI claims Rozier contributed to the scheme by sharing private insider NBA information with co-conspirators.
In a particularly alarming development, FBI officials revealed the alleged gambling ring has direct ties to “La Cosa Nostra” — the Italian Mafia.
Inside the Alleged Scheme
The operation allegedly provided confidential information to bettors at a price. ESPN reports that Rozier and other defendants “had access to private information known by NBA players or NBA coaches that was likely to affect the outcome of games or players’ performances and provided that information to other coconspirators in exchange for either a flat fee or a share of betting profits.”
FBI New York Assistant Director in Charge Christopher Raia didn’t mince words about the severity of the case.
“This alleged illegal gambling operation hustled unwitting victims out of tens of millions of dollars, and created a financial pipeline for La Cosa Nostra to help fund and facilitate their organized criminal activity,” said Raia, adding that it is “one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes since online sports betting became widely legalized in the United States.”
The investigation has apparently been ongoing for months.
Following Rozier’s arrest, NBA fans immediately began scrutinizing his past performances for suspicious patterns. One game in particular has drawn significant attention.
Suspicious Performance Under New Scrutiny
A March 5 game between Miami and Cleveland — which the Heat lost 112-107 but covered the 11.5-point spread — is now being examined with fresh eyes. Rozier had an uncharacteristically poor showing, going just 3-for-14 from the field and 1-for-8 from three-point range in 40 minutes of play. He also committed four turnovers in the contest.
Social media users quickly resurfaced footage of this performance.
Knew it wasn’t possible to play this bad in a game LMFAOOOOpic.twitter.com/61HBA5siaG https://t.co/E8ZMxGJAxr
— Old NBA Tweets (@oldnbatweetz) October 23, 2025
The NBA has not yet announced any disciplinary measures against the implicated individuals, though suspensions are likely forthcoming. League integrity policies typically carry severe penalties for gambling-related violations.
This case represents one of the most significant scandals in recent NBA history, potentially rivaling the Tim Donaghy referee betting scandal from 2007.
