FBI charges are hitting the hardwood across the NBA.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Heat guard Terry Rozier, Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, and former NBA player and coach Damon Jones were arrested in a pair of sweeping and \u201chistoric\u201d federal gambling busts<\/a> on Thursday. <\/p>\n One of the two indictments covers a high-stakes illegal gambling ring that allegedly funneled inside info to sports bettors, while the other deals with poker games that federal officials allege were rigged and also involve four of the five Mafia families.<\/p>\n Jones was named in both indictments.<\/p>\n A total of 34 people were named in the cases following a multi-year probe covering 11 states and millions of dollars, authorities said, with FBI Director Kash Patel calling the scale of the fraud \u201cmind-boggling.\u201d <\/p>\n Prosecutors also described the alleged involvement of Jontay Porter, who was banned from the NBA in 2024 after he pleaded guilty to wire fraud in a gambling scheme<\/a>.<\/p>\n According to the indictment involving the alleged inside sports betting info, seven NBA games from 2023 and 2024 were specifically targeted by gamblers with this intel.\u00a0<\/p>\n Damon Jones of the Cleveland Cavaliers coaches against the Milwauke Bucks during the Las Vegas Summer League game on July 7, 2017 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n \tThe FBI has arrested 31 people involved in a rigged poker game ring backed by the New York City organized crime families.<\/p>\n Ernest Aiello \u2014 reputed Bonanno mobster<\/p>\n Nelson \u201cSpanish G\u201d Alvarez<\/p>\n Louis \u201cLou Ap\u201d Apicella<\/p>\n Ammar \u201cFlapper Poker\u201d Awawdeh<\/p>\n Saul Becher \u2014 professional poker player<\/p>\n Chauncey Billups \u2014 Portland Trail Blazers coach, NBA Hall of Famer and 2004 NBA champion<\/p>\n Matthew \u201cThe Wrestler\u201d Daddino<\/p>\n Eric \u201cSpooky\u201d Earnest<\/p>\n Lee Fama \u2014 professional poker player<\/p>\n John Gallo<\/p>\n Marco Garzon<\/p>\n Thomas \u201cTommy Juice\u201d Gelardo \u2014 reputed Lucchese mobster charged in 2013 for\u00a0beating porn star girlfriend<\/a><\/p>\n Jamie Gilet<\/p>\n Tony \u201cBlack Tony\u201d Goodson<\/p>\n Kenny Han<\/p>\n Shane \u201cSugar\u201d Henne<\/p>\n Osman \u201cAlbanian Bruce\u201d Hoti<\/p>\n Horatio Hu<\/p>\n Zhen \u201cScruli\u201d Hu<\/p>\n Damon \u201cDee Jones\u201d Jones \u2014 NBA player from 1998 to 2009<\/p>\n Joseph Lanni<\/p>\n John \u201cJohn South\u201d Mazzola<\/p>\n Curtis Meeks<\/p>\n Nicholas Minucci<\/p>\n Michael Renzulli<\/p>\n Anthony Ruggiero Jr.<\/p>\n Anthony \u201cDoc\u201d Shnayderman<\/p>\n Robert \u201cBlack Rob\u201d Stroud<\/p>\n Seth Trustman<\/p>\n Sophia \u201cPookie\u201d Wei<\/p>\n Julius Ziliani<\/p>\n March 23, 2023: Hornets vs. Pelicans\u00a0<\/p>\n Rozier exited 9 minutes and 34 seconds into the game with a foot injury.\u00a0<\/p>\n He was not listed on the Hornets\u2019 injury report and is alleged to have told a defendant<\/a> he would be leaving the game prematurely due to injury.\u00a0<\/p>\n Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier (2) looks on during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards, Sunday, March 31, 2024, in Washington. AP<\/p>\n Follow The Post\u2019s latest on the gambling scandal rocking the NBA:<\/p>\n Rozier finished with five points, three rebounds and two assists, well below his season averages in points (21.1), rebounds (4.1) and assists (5.1). The Hornets lost 115-96.<\/p>\n The defendant allegedly sold the info to bettors, who cashed in for a grand sum of $260,000 on bets against his points, assists and 3-pointer prop totals, according to prosecutors.<\/p>\n Rozier is alleged to have met with the defendant one week later at his home to count his cut of the winnings.\u00a0<\/p>\n March 24, 2023: Trail Blazers vs. Bulls<\/p>\n The Trail Blazers rested four starters in the late stretch of a lost season. Those players included star point guard Damian Lillard and center Jusuf Nurkic. Lillard was listed as \u201cprobable\u201d while Nurkic was \u201cquestionable\u201d on the official injury report that morning.\u00a0<\/p>\n FBI Director Kash Patel leaves after a press conference on October 23, 2025 in New York City. Getty Images<\/p>\n Right ahead of tip-off, both players were downgraded to \u201cout\u201d after combining for 50 points in a 127-115 victory over the Jazz two days prior.<\/p>\n