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U.S. authorities announced a series of arrests on Thursday, involving a prominent player and a coach in the National Basketball Association (NBA), for alleged participation in illegal sports betting activities.
Those taken into custody reportedly include Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat player Terry Rozier, both arrested following their respective teams’ games on Wednesday.
The arrests stem from a wide-ranging investigation into illicit gambling, which has resulted in two indictments, according to the FBI. These indictments involve allegations of players feigning injuries to manipulate betting odds, as well as an illegal poker ring with ties to organized crime.
Here’s a breakdown of what is currently known about the cases.
FBI Director Kash Patel described the allegations to reporters as “mind-boggling,” emphasizing the scope and nature of the alleged offenses.
Officials stated that the indictments cover two major cases, both involving elements of fraud.
The first case, dubbed “Operation Nothing But Bet,” centers on allegations that players and their associates exploited insider information to influence wagers on prominent sports betting platforms.
According to New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, players allegedly altered their performance or removed themselves from games to ensure the success of these bets, which resulted in tens of thousands of dollars in profits.
The second case is more intricate, involving four of the five major crime families in New York, as well as professional athletes, officials noted.
The defendants in this case are accused of participating in a scheme to manipulate illegal poker games and misappropriate millions of dollars.
Authorities stated that they employed “very sophisticated” technology, including modified shuffling machines, special contact lenses and eyeglasses to read pre-marked cards, and an X-ray table capable of reading face-down cards.
Victims were allegedly enticed to participate in these games by former professional athletes, who served as “face cards” in the scheme, unaware that the dealer and other players were also complicit.
Authorities initiated the investigation into these poker games in 2019, which spanned multiple locations, including the Hamptons, Las Vegas, Miami, and Manhattan.
The accused allegedly laundered profits through bank wires and cryptocurrencies.
They are also accused of committing acts of violence, including armed robbery and extortion against victims.
Authorities indicated that both schemes resulted in tens of millions of dollars in theft and robbery across several years and 11 states.
In total, 34 defendants have been indicted on charges related to the two fraud cases.
Six individuals were charged in the first case, involving players allegedly faking injuries to influence betting odds, including Miami Heat player Rozier.
New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated that in March 2023, Rozier, then playing for the Charlotte Hornets, allegedly informed associates of his plan to leave a game prematurely due to a purported injury.
According to Tisch, members of the group then used this information to place fraudulent bets and generate substantial profits.
Commissioner Tisch commented on Thursday, following Rozier’s arrest, that his “career is already benched, not for injury but for integrity.”
Former NBA player Damon Jones was also arrested and is said to have been involved in two games allegedly linked to the scheme: a February 2023 game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Milwaukee Bucks, and a January 2024 game between the Lakers and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Authorities identified a total of seven NBA games between February 2023 and March 2024 that were part of the case:
The second case, related to illegal poker games, involved a total of 31 defendants, including Portland Trail Blazers coach Billups, a recent inductee into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Authorities noted that three of the accused were charged in both cases.
Thirteen members and associates of the Bonanno, Genovese, and Gambino crime families in New York were also indicted in the illegal poker case.
The charges include robbery, extortion, wire fraud, bank fraud, and illegal gambling.
Authorities confirmed that the defendants have been arrested and are scheduled to appear in court later on Thursday. Arraignment is expected to take place at a later date in a Brooklyn, New York, court.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the NBA stated that it is reviewing the announced federal indictments and cooperating with authorities.
The league also announced that Rozier and Billups are being placed “on immediate leave” from their respective teams.
“We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and the integrity of our game remains our top priority,” the statement concluded.
Authorities stated that the alleged scheme involved four of the five prominent crime families in New York.
The Five Families – the Bonanno, Colombo, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese – have historically dominated the city’s Italian-American mafia since 1931.
Major law enforcement efforts reduced mafia activity in the 1990s, supported by the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and the efforts of then-New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
However, as demonstrated by Thursday’s indictments, the mafia has not been entirely eradicated.
The Five Families are part of the broader American-Sicilian mafia organization known as La Cosa Nostra, which translates to “this thing of ours.” Members often collaborate with their counterparts in Sicily.
According to criminology professor and modern organized crime expert Anna Sergi, who previously spoke with the BBC, gangsters on the Italian side view New York City as a “gym” where their members can be hardened.
The FBI reports that dozens have been charged in two investigations focused on cracking down on illegal gambling.
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