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FBI Arrests NBA Players & Coach in Separate Gambling Investigations
ORLANDO, FL & PORTLAND, OR – The FBI has announced the arrests of Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups as part of separate investigations into alleged illegal gambling activities.
Rozier was arrested in Orlando, Florida, following the Heat’s game on Wednesday, according to reports. The inquiry into Rozier centers around a game on March 23, 2023, while he was still playing for the Charlotte Hornets.Authorities are investigating suspicious betting activity surrounding Rozier’s performance in that game against the New Orleans Pelicans, where he played only nine minutes due to a reported foot injury.
A bettor in Biloxi, Mississippi, placed over 30 bets within 46 minutes on the morning of the game, specifically wagering that Rozier would not reach his season average of 5.5 rebounds. these bets yielded a profit of over $13,000 for the bettor when Rozier exited the game early with injury. The unusual volume and timing of the bets triggered alerts from the US Integrity (USI), the authority monitoring sports betting, and prompted a national alert.Similar suspicious betting patterns were also reported by bookmakers in New Orleans.
Simultaneously occurring, the arrest of Chauncey Billups is reportedly unrelated to games he coached. NBC News reports the investigation involving Billups centers on an illegal poker circle with alleged ties to the mafia.
Further complicating the situation, former Cleveland Cavaliers player and assistant coach Damon Jones was also arrested on suspicion of providing confidential information to gamblers.
united States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Joseph Nocella Jr., is scheduled to hold a press conference at 4:00 p.m. PT to provide further details on the investigations.
The NBA previously investigated the suspicious bets placed on Rozier’s performance while with the Charlotte Hornets but had not reached a conclusion pending the FBI’s investigation.
