>> Continued From the Previous Page <<
The cheating didn’t stop there. Nocella added that the network deployed contact lenses, glasses with hidden readers, and concealed cameras capable of identifying pre-marked cards. “Defendants used other cheating technologies such as poker chip tray analyzers, which is a poker chip tray that secretly read cards using a hidden camera—special contact lenses or eyeglasses that could read pre-marked cards, and an X-ray table that could read cards face down on the table,” he said.
These underground poker games generated millions of dollars in illegal profits, much of which investigators say was laundered through fake shell companies and offshore accounts linked to organized crime syndicates.
The scandal took a shocking turn when authorities alleged that NBA player Terry Rozier actively participated in the betting operation—using insider knowledge and even faking injuries to help manipulate outcomes.
According to New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Rozier’s actions crossed into outright game-fixing. “In some instances, players altered their performance or took themselves out of games to make sure that those bets paid out,” Tisch explained during a press conference.
She then described a particular incident involving Rozier. “Terry Rozier, an NBA player now with the Miami Heat, but at the time playing for the Hornets, allegedly let others close to him know that he planned to leave the game early with a supposed injury. Using that information, members of the group placed more than $200,000 in wagers on his under statistics,” Tisch said.
The result was predictable—and lucrative. “Rozier exited the game after just nine minutes, and those bets paid out, generating tens of thousands of dollars in profit,” Tisch added.
While Rozier’s alleged role was centered on the sports betting side, Chauncey Billups was reportedly linked to the underground poker games that were the backbone of the mafia’s scheme. Sources close to the investigation said Billups’ participation helped draw in high-profile figures and professional athletes who were unknowingly playing against a “fixed deck.”
FBI Director Kash Patel condemned the corruption and vowed that everyone involved would face justice. “Cheating, corruption, and laundering have consequences. We followed the money, and the law caught up,” Patel declared.
WATCH:
Patel described the scope of the case as one of the largest federal takedowns in recent memory, involving multiple agencies and years of surveillance. “The charges and the arrests that were taken down across this country range from wire fraud, money laundering, extortion, robbery, illegal gambling,” Patel said.
He didn’t mince words about the scale of the operation. “The fraud is mind-boggling… we’re talking about tens of millions of dollars in fraud and theft and robbery across a multi-year investigation,” Patel noted.
As the story develops, both the NBA and team organizations are scrambling to assess the damage. Billups and Rozier have reportedly been suspended indefinitely, pending further investigation. Insiders say the league is “in crisis mode,” fearing that the scandal could expose additional players or coaches involved in similar schemes.
This explosive case not only shines a light on the dark intersection of organized crime and professional sports, but it also raises troubling questions about integrity, influence, and corruption in American athletics.
If proven true, this would mark one of the most stunning betrayals of trust in modern sports history — and a chilling reminder that, when it comes to power, money, and fame, no game is ever completely clean.
