FBI Arrests NBA Coach Billups, 30+ in Mafia-Linked $7M Rigged Poker Scam

NBA player Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups have been arrested along with former NBA player Damon Jones and over 30 others in connection with separate but related gambling scandals involving alleged Mafia-backed illegal poker games and insider betting schemes. Rozier is accused of faking an injury to manipulate betting outcomes, while Billups is implicated in a high-stakes underground poker ring that used sophisticated cheating technology, including tampered shuffling machines, X-ray tables, sensor-equipped contact lenses, and marked cards, to defraud victims of millions of dollars. The scheme, reportedly backed by New York Mafia families such as the Bonanno, Gambino, and Genovese, involved luring wealthy gamblers with NBA players as "face cards" and using intimidation tactics, including threats and assaults, to enforce debts. The FBI investigation revealed the use of casino-grade tech and covert communications to rig games, with proceeds laundered through shell companies. Billups' lawyer has denied the charges, emphasizing the risk to his client's legacy and freedom. The NBA has placed Rozier and Billups on leave while reviewing federal indictments, underscoring the seriousness of the allegations and the league's commitment to integrity.