Billups, Rozier Arrested in FBI Gambling Probe

Federal authorities arrested more than 30 people Thursday, including Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, in two related FBI-led probes into an alleged nationwide illegal gambling and organized-crime enterprise. Prosecutors say one indictment alleges an insider sports-betting conspiracy in which NBA insiders provided nonpublic information for prop bets and accuses Rozier of tipping bettors and allegedly signaling he would exit a March 23, 2023 game early to benefit wagers. The other indictment accuses Mafia-backed rings of running rigged poker games that used sophisticated cheating technology to defraud victims and alleges Billups helped lure people into those games. Authorities say the yearslong, multi-state investigation involved tens of millions of dollars and coordinated arrests across 11 states, and the defendants face charges including wire fraud, money‑laundering and illegal gambling. The NBA placed both men on immediate leave while it reviews the indictments; Rozier was arrested in Orlando and his lawyer condemned the public arrest as an embarrassing "perp walk," and the investigation is ongoing.