NBA Scandal: Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier Arrested Over Alleged Ties to Illegal Gambling

In a significant blow to the National Basketball Association (NBA), federal authorities have arrested Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, and former NBA player and coach Damon Jones. The arrests, part of a broader investigation into illegal gambling activities linked to organized crime, have raised serious concerns about the integrity of professional basketball.

On October 23, 2025, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York unsealed two indictments implicating Billups, Rozier, Jones, and 31 others in illicit gambling schemes. The first indictment alleges that Billups and Jones participated in rigged high-stakes poker games organized by members of the Bonanno, Gambino, and Genovese crime families. These games, held in locations such as New York City and Las Vegas, reportedly defrauded victims of approximately $7 million. Prosecutors claim that Billups and Jones leveraged their NBA status to attract wealthy participants to these games, which were manipulated using hidden cameras and altered card-shuffling machines.

The second indictment charges Rozier with exploiting insider information for sports betting. In one instance, he allegedly informed an associate that he would fake an injury and exit a game early, allowing the associate to place successful bets on his underperformance. This scheme reportedly resulted in over $200,000 in illicit gains. Jones is also implicated in this indictment for allegedly sharing privileged information about players' injuries before two Los Angeles Lakers games in 2023 and 2024.

Following the arrests, the NBA placed both Billups and Rozier on immediate leave without pay pending further investigation. The league emphasized its commitment to maintaining the integrity of the game. The National Basketball Players Association criticized the decision to withhold Rozier's pay, stating it conflicts with the presumption of innocence and promised to file a grievance.

This scandal has raised serious concerns about the integrity of professional basketball and the potential influence of organized crime within the sport. The involvement of high-profile figures has led to a broader discussion about the vulnerabilities of professional sports to gambling-related corruption. The NBA's previous embrace of legalized sports betting, following the 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing its widespread legalization, is now under scrutiny. Critics had warned that such rapid expansion of gambling platforms could create conditions for scandals like this.

While the NBA has faced gambling-related scandals in the past, such as the 2007 incident involving referee Tim Donaghy, the scale and involvement of organized crime in the current case are unprecedented. The use of sophisticated technology to rig games and the direct involvement of current and former players and coaches mark a significant escalation in the nature of such scandals.

As the legal proceedings unfold, the NBA and its stakeholders are grappling with the implications of these allegations. The league's response and the outcomes of the investigations will likely have lasting effects on policies regarding gambling and the measures implemented to safeguard the integrity of professional basketball.