Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier were among 34 people indicted in two separate federal gambling investigations unveiled Thursday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
At a lengthy news conference featuring FBI Director Kash Patel and U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr., authorities said the multi-year probes spanned 11 states, involved tens of millions of dollars, and touched members of the Bonanno, Genovese, Gambino and Luchese crime families. Former NBA journeyman Damon Jones was charged in both cases.
Billups—arrested Thursday morning in Portland and expected to appear in federal court there—allegedly served as a high-profile lure in a poker scheme that “fleeced” victims out of tens of millions of dollars, prosecutors said. According to the indictment, conspirators staged underground games in Miami, New York, Las Vegas and the Hamptons, drawing in “fish” with the chance to play alongside the five-time All-Star and Jones. The operation allegedly used rigged shuffling machines, pre-marked cards readable with special lenses, doctored chip trays and even X-ray tables. When victims balked at paying, “they used threats, intimidation and violence,” New York police commissioner Jessica Tisch said.
Rozier—arrested in Orlando—was charged in a separate case dubbed “Nothing But Net,” accused of tipping associates to his game availability between December 2022 and March 2024, enabling profitable prop bets. Investigators cited seven games, including a March 2023 Hornets-Pelicans matchup flagged by sportsbooks for irregular activity in which Rozier exited after nine minutes. Those wagers “paid out, generating tens of thousands of dollars in profit,” Tisch said, adding that proceeds were delivered to Rozier’s home to be counted.
U.S. Attorney Nocella called the cases an “insider trading saga of the NBA,” noting links to previously charged former Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter, who admitted manipulating performance in two games and is awaiting sentencing. Prosecutors said Porter was pressured by others over gambling debts to provide inside information.
Billups and Rozier will be arraigned in Brooklyn at a later date. Attorney information for Billups wasn’t immediately available. Rozier’s lawyer, Jim Trusty, blasted the charges as a “non-case,” saying prosecutors relied on “spectacularly incredible sources,” and noted the NBA had previously reviewed one cited game and found no rule violations.
The NBA said it is reviewing the indictments and placed Billups and Rozier on immediate leave. The Trail Blazers said assistant Tiago Splitter will serve as interim head coach. “We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and the integrity of our game remains our top priority,” the league said.
