Plenty more gambling fraud could be on tap — especially at the college level.
Ex-NBA referee Tim Donaghy, who was formerly imprisoned for fixing games, called the NBA’s massive federal gambling busts involving Trail Blazers coach and Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups, Heat guard Terry Rozier and ex-Cavs player and assistant Damon Jones just “the tip of the iceberg,” saying student athletes are likely throwing games to make quick cash and support themselves.
“I think this is just the tip of the iceberg,” Donaghy said Thursday during an appearance on NewsNation’s “Cuomo” with Chris Cuomo.
“You’re going to see maybe a more of a bigger scandal coming out of the college level, because you have these young athletes that aren’t going to make it to the next level, and somebody is going to offer them money to maybe fix a game and only win by 12 rather than 15 and they’re gonna take that money because they’re gonna need a way to support their families.”
NEW: Ex-NBA Ref Tim Donaghy Says the Real Scandal Is Coming
“I think this is just the tip of the iceberg… you’re going to see maybe a more of a bigger scandal coming out of the college level, because you have these young athletes that aren’t going to make it to the next level,… pic.twitter.com/PVN5OLsbKK
— UngaTheGreat (@UngaTheGreat) October 24, 2025
The former 13-year official has previously spoken about his gambling addiction, which sparked an FBI investigation in 2007 and led to his conviction for wire fraud and transmitting wagering information across state lines.
He reportedly earned $300,000 for providing betting tips to bookies.
Tim Donaghy (bottom right) speaking on the arrests. @UngaTheGreat/X
Tim Donaghy refereeing in 2000. Getty Images
Donaghy pleaded guilty, claiming he had been pressured into the scheme by the Gambino crime family, and served roughly 11 months of a 15-month sentence before his 2009 release.
FBI Director Kash Patel, who called Thursday’s charges “mind-boggling,” announced over 30 arrests, including associates from four New York mafia families, in the stunning gambling crackdown.
Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups leaving a courthouse Thursday. REUTERS
Terry Rozier during a 2025 game with the Heat. Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
The arrests stemmed from a yearslong, 11-state investigation, Patel said.
One indictment targets a high-stakes illegal gambling ring accused of selling insider information to sports bettors, while the other focuses on allegedly rigged poker games, federal officials said.
The FBI has arrested 31 people involved in a rigged poker game ring backed by the New York City organized crime families.
Ernest Aiello — reputed Bonanno mobster
Nelson “Spanish G” Alvarez
Louis “Lou Ap” Apicella
Ammar “Flapper Poker” Awawdeh
Saul Becher — professional poker player
Chauncey Billups — Portland Trail Blazers coach, NBA Hall of Famer and 2004 NBA champion
Matthew “The Wrestler” Daddino
Eric “Spooky” Earnest
Lee Fama — professional poker player
John Gallo
Marco Garzon
Thomas “Tommy Juice” Gelardo — reputed Lucchese mobster charged in 2013 for beating porn star girlfriend
Jamie Gilet
Tony “Black Tony” Goodson
Kenny Han
Shane “Sugar” Henne
Osman “Albanian Bruce” Hoti
Horatio Hu
Zhen “Scruli” Hu
Damon “Dee Jones” Jones — NBA player from 1998 to 2009
Joseph Lanni
John “John South” Mazzola
Curtis Meeks
Nicholas Minucci
Michael Renzulli
Anthony Ruggiero Jr.
Anthony “Doc” Shnayderman
Robert “Black Rob” Stroud
Seth Trustman
Sophia “Pookie” Wei
Julius Ziliani
Billups faces charges in the illegal poker scheme, while Rozier’s charges link to the sports betting investigation involving alleged prop bet manipulation.
Jones appears in both cases.
Donaghy’s comments come ahead of the Nov. 1 start of college athletes being allowed to bet on professional sports in a shocking reversal.