Oct 28, 2025
3 min read
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups has been charged with participating in illegal poker activity tied to the Mafia, law enforcement sources told ABC News.
Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups has been charged with an illegal mob-related poker operation.
Heat pitcher Terry Rozier was arrested in a separate case.
Trazers Trail Truzers Heads Bills are among those who are hot for illegal activities.
Billups is charged with wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy.
Both teams have been released by their respective teams, the NBA said.
“We are in the process of reviewing the federal charges announced today,” the NBA said in a statement. “Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups have been placed on immediate resignation from the team.And we will continue to cooperate with the appropriate authorities.We take these allegations very seriously.And the integrity of our game is our top priority.”
It is alleged that poker games in which basketball players have been involved to make it valid rigged for the benefit of those who run the games using advanced technology such as rigged rigid machines and even x-ray technology to read cards lying down on board, said US Attorney Joseph Noccella Jr.
The games have been held since 2019 in the Hamptons, Manhattan, Las Vegas and Miami, officials said.Profits from the alleged poker scheme have risen to $7 million "and counting," officials said.The investigation lasted two years, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.
When the victims, some of whom lost millions, refused to pay, the mob turned violent, according to the NYPD.
"Fraud is mind-boggling," FBI director Kash Patel said at a news conference in Brooklyn announcing the charges."We're talking tens of millions of dollars in theft, fraud and theft."
Billups coach the Blazers lost their season to the Timberwolves on Wednesday night.Billups was a Hall of Famer for the Detroit Pistons before retiring in 2014. He was a five-star player for the Detroit Pistons in 2004 during his 17-year career, leading to the NBA title in 2004.
"We are aware of the allegations regarding head coach Chauncey Billups and the Trails are fully cooperating with the investigation," the Portland Trail Blazers said in a statement."The bill will be immediately dropped and Tiago Splitter will be considered the coach of coaches in the interim. Any further questions should be directed to the NBA."
Christopher Ralaa, the chief director and manager of the New York office, called it "the 34th suspect in two different and illegal gambling plans.
Those charged include former coaches and players and former players, authorities said, as well as 13 members of the Mafia and associates of the Bonanno, Gambino and Genovese crime families.
Authorities described it as a "growing criminal enterprise" to "beat unsuspecting gamblers."
Meanwhile, Rozier and former Cleveland Cavaliers player and assistant coach Damon Jones were arrested in "overlapping" cases involving betting on NBA games.
Like Billups, Jones is charged with wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy.
Rozier and Junes Tree passed the information to the opponents, who are responsible for transmitting the information to a ministerial network, published articles.These important things place soldiers on the Internet in online books or in outside stores, which is why some things can be established.
The accused included a sample of a game he played for the Charlotte Hornets on March 23, 2023 - he allegedly had a seizure - the source said.He left the game after nine minutes.Hamsanja and others, who allegedly put $200,000 in the wagon, Betent Readier Rozier will give his statistics.
"We've been in contact with these prosecutors for a long time to say we need open communication," said Rozier's attorney, James Trusty.
He continued."They're not straight sources, instead of retelling the real evidence of the NBA, that it's not afraid of a fight and it's not afraid of a fight."
Rozier is in his 11th year in the NBA.Appeared in 665 games and averaged 13.9 points per game in 665 games played.He was a key contributor to the Boston Celtics' playoff run from 2016-19 before joining the Hornets.
His team opens the 2025 season on Wednesday night in Orlando.
Meanwhile, Jones used ad hoc contacts with the Los Angeles Lakers to obtain non-medical information about certain players that prosecutors sold to prosecutors so they could act.
On February 9, 2023, while the Lakers were playing the Bucks, Jones allegedly sent a text message to a co-conspirator that read, "Bet big on Milwaukee tonight before word spreads! [Player 3] is gone tonight. Bet enough for Jones to eat."The high-profile player in question did not play and the Lakers lost.
Jones was a starter for several teams over his 11 years in the NBA, most notably the Cleveland Cavaliers' 2016 championship team.
Tisch called this investigation "Nothing But Bet" and focused specifically on Rozier's alleged involvement.
"His work is done when the NBA Postseason is used, not because of injury but because of integrity," is still because of integrity.
The NBA was cooperating with the investigation, prosecutors said.
