The NBA faces a major scandal as Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier, and others are charged in an FBI gambling probe involving insider betting and mafia ties. Boardroom breaks it down.
Just days into the 2025-26 NBA season, the league was rocked by one of its most shocking scandals in recent memory. On Oct. 23, Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, and former NBA player Damon Jones were arrested after an FBI probe revealed that they, along with 28 other people, were involved in an underground illegal gambling ring. Interim U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella said “insiders” Rozier and Jones shared confidential information with organized crime groups in exchange for a share of illegal betting profits. Rozier allegedly tipped off associates prior to a March 2023 game that he planned to exit with a foot injury. Consequently, over $200,000 was bet on his “under” stats, and he checked out after just nine minutes.
The indictment cites seven games in 2023 and 2024 involving hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal bets. Gamblers received information from contacts on five teams, including two active players at the time — Rozier and Jontay Porter of the Toronto Raptors, who was banned from the NBA last year for gambling violations.
The poker-ring scheme proved to be more nefarious, featuring X-ray card tables, rigged shufflers, and marked decks used to cheat players out of more than $7 million, which was run by members of four major mafia families. Additional defendants include game organizers, suppliers of cheating equipment, and players accused of participating in the rigged matches. Billups allegedly participated in a series of games in 2019 in Las Vegas, according to the indictment.
Billups and Rozier face wire-fraud and money-laundering conspiracy charges while Jones, who allegedly participated in both schemes, faces two counts of each charge. Unsurprisingly, Billups and Rozier were immediately placed on administrative leave and according a Thursday report from ESPN, they will not be paid. In fact, Rozier’s $26.6 million salary for this season, paid in installments, will be held in escrow.
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