NBA star Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups were arrested Thursday morning as part of a sweeping FBI investigation into illegal sports betting. The Miami Heat player was apprehended at a hotel in Orlando, Florida, whilst Billups was also taken into custody by federal agents.
The arrests represent a major development in a federal gambling probe that has been ongoing for almost a year. FBI Director Kash Patel held a joint press conference with prosecutors from the Eastern District of New York at 10am ET to announce details of the investigation.
Investigation scope revealed
The probe has resulted in 31 total arrests involving multiple organized crime families, according to the Daily Mail. The investigation extends far beyond individual player betting and encompasses broader criminal networks involved in illegal gambling operations.
Rozier's case centers on suspicious betting patterns surrounding his performance in a Charlotte Hornets game against New Orleans Pelicans on March 23, 2023. The Daily Mail reports that $13,759 in suspicious betting activity occurred across 30 wagers placed within 46 minutes before the game.
Separate criminal connections
Billups' arrest stems from connections to a mafia-linked poker operation separate from Rozier's betting case, according to the Guardian. Law enforcement sources confirm his arrest is not related to games he coached for the Trail Blazers.
The investigation connects to the previous case of former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter, who was banned for life from the NBA and pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges. Rozier had been cleared by an internal NBA investigation months before his arrest.
Legal defence emerges
Rozier's attorney claims his client was a "subject not target" of the investigation and criticised the "perp walk" arrest strategy, the Daily Mail Live reports. The defence argues the arrest tactics were unnecessarily public and damaging.
The arrests mark one of the most significant gambling scandals to hit professional basketball since sports betting became widely legalised across the United States.
Sources used: "Independent", "Daily Mail", "Guardian", "Daily Mail Live"
Note: This article has been created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
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