According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier III are among 34 people arrested and suspected of illegal gambling and rigged poker games supported by various criminal organisations. The investigation lasted for years and involved 11 states, as well as tens of millions of dollars.
As Charania reports, Rozier was arrested on Wednesday in Orlando , where he is suspected of trading insider information from NBA players and coaches about specific player performances that directly affected game outcomes, sharing that information for a flat fee or a share of betting profits.
" The fraud is mind-boggling. It's not hundreds of dollars, it's not thousands of dollars, it's not tens of thousands of dollars, it's not even millions of dollars. We're talking about tens of millions of dollars in fraud and theft and robbery " FBI Director Kash Patel said on the gambling arrests.
Billups, on the other hand, was arrested in Oregon on suspicion of running rigged poker games backed by Mafia families, authorities say. U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Joseph Nocella Jr. said that through digital means, victims were defrauded of millions in the New York area.
Nocella Jr. further stated that this is one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes since the legalization of online sports betting in the United States.
As for the Portland Trail Blazers coach and the Miami Heat guard, they are expected to appear in court on Thursday in Oregon and Florida. It should also be noted that of the 34 people arrested, six were connected to sports betting, including former Cleveland Cavaliers player and assistant coach Damon Jones. At the same time, 31 defendants were involved in rigged poker games.
Four NBA teams were also mentioned in the illegal sports gambling investigation, including the Charlotte Hornets , Los Angeles Lakers , Toronto Raptors , and Portland Trail Blazers , which casts further doubt on this case.
Rozier is believed to have fixed a game while playing for the Hornets , when he left after just 10 minutes due to an apparent leg injury, while they were playing against the New Orleans Pelicans . An unexpected surge of bets, including 30 wagers in 46 minutes from a professional bettor totaling $13,759, came in on the under on Rozier's points, rebounds and assists, causing sportsbooks to halt betting on the nine-year veteran.
Rozier is in the final year of his $96.3 million contract with the Heat, signed in 2021, while the 2004 Finals MVP signed a multiyear contract extension in April this year. It should also be noted that Rozier's case is connected to that of Jontay Porter , who was banned for five years from the league for sports betting.
NBA legend Charles Barkley also shared his insight into the entire gambling situation after the Porter case was brought to light.
"Under no circumstance, as a player, should you talk about your friend about gambling, shave points, good or bad, prop bets, you could never entertain influencing the outcome of a game," Barkley said on the Dan Patrick Show.
"Don't make excuses, man. Sports gambling is a big thing, it's gonna be there no matter what. As a player, under no circumstances can you get yourself in a situation where you can fix a game; Guys, don't ever do that, You gonna get banned for life if you gonna do that."
It will be interesting to follow this scandal, which is shaking the league and could become one of the biggest in it's history, especially since it involves two prominent NBA figures who are multimillionaires, making the case even more absurd. We shouldn't be surprised if Barkley's words about a lifetime ban because of gambling soon become reality for Billups and Rozier.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Oct 23, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
