Keep up with the EXPLOSIVE news surrounding the NBA gambling-related arrests as they unfold! Reportedly, 33 individuals have been arrested so far, including active NBA Head Coach Chauncey Billups. Ballislife will keep up with the latest news surrounding what could be the biggest sports story in recent memory.
On October 23, Portland Trail Blazers Head Coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier were arrested as part of an ongoing, wide-ranging federal investigation involving illegal gambling. The FBI arrests are headlined by illegal sports gambling and an illegal, rigged poker operation with ties to organized American crime families.
Billups, 49, is the current head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, having signed a multi-year extension with the franchise in April 2025. A Hall of Famer, he played 17 seasons in the NBA and led the Detroit Pistons to an NBA Championship in 2004.
Rozier, 31, was drafted No. 16 overall by the Boston Celtics in the 2015 NBA Draft and was part of their playoff run. Since then, he’s played for the Charlotte Hornets and was drafted to the Miami Heat in January 2023. In June 2025, Rozier’s name was cleared from any wrongdoing in a federal investigation traced to illegal sports betting in 2023.
On Thursday morning, the FBI stated Rozier is accused of participating in illegal betting and providing insider information. While playing for the Charlotte Hornets in 2023, he allegedly told his inner circle that he would leave a game early. This led to more than $200,000 being wagered on Rozier’s unders, resulting in tens of thousands of dollars in winnings. It was disclosed that the ‘proceeds were later delivered to his home, where the group counted their cash.
“As the NBA season tips off, his career is already benched. Not for injury, but for integrity, said New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch on Thursday.
These arrests of Billups and Rozier happened at 6 am local time. Later it had been announced former NBA player Damon Jones was also arrested. Per the Athletic, Jones used insider information and injury reports to bet on the Milwaukee Bucks vs Los Angeles Lakers game in February 2023.
At 10:00 am ET, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York Joseph Nocella Jr., as well as Kash Patel, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), held a press conference about the on-going arrests and investigation. It was announced by Patel the amount of money involved is “tens of millions of dollars.”
Nocella told the public there are two major cases, both with charges of fraud. The first case involves illegal sport betting. The second case, meanwhile, is an alleged illegal scheme rigging poker games. For the second case, Nocella also stated:
“These defendants, which include former professional athletes, used high-tech cheating technology to steal millions of dollars from victims in underground poker games that were secretly fixed.”
The FBI also stated the Mafia-related poker games used wireless cheating devices such as:
- X-ray tables
- poker chip tray analyzers
- rigged shuffling machines
- hidden cameras
- Special contact lenses or eyeglasses
Taking place in the Hamptons, Las Vegas, Miami, and Manhattan, the illegal poker scheme ‘lured’ individuals to play alongside professional athletes known as “face cards”. In on the scam were the face cards (including Billups), the dealers, and other players. The victims, referred to as the “fish,” were unaware of the scheme and were cheated out of tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars per game.
It was announced by Nocella, among those arrested perform(ed) for the:
- Charlotte Hornets
- Portland Trail Blazers
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Toronto Raptors
So far, over 30 individuals have been arrested across 11 states, with more information expected to be announced throughout the day.
FBI Related NBA Gambling Arrests LIVE Tracker
October 23
12:30 PM ET – NBA Communications has released the following statement regarding the active personnel involved in current investigations:
“Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups are being placed on immediate leave from their teams […]”
12:40 PM ET- The NBA issued the following statement regarding the arrests:
“We are in the process of reviewing the federal indictments announced today. Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups are being placed on immediate leave from their teams, and we will continue to cooperate with the relevant authorities. We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and the integrity of our game remains our top priority.”
12:55 PM ET- ESPN NBA Insider Shams Charania stated that Portland Trail Blazers assistant Tiago Splitter will ‘resume’ head coaching duties in place of Chauncey Billups. Charania added that assistant Nate Bjorkgren was considered as well.
Splitter was previously an assistant for the Brooklyn Nets and Houston Rockets. A NBA Champion as a player in 2024, he was dubbed the head coach of Paris Basketball in July 2024.
2:50 PM ET- The Portland Trail Blazers release a statement:
“We are aware of the allegations involving head coach Chauncey Billups, and the Trail Blazers are fully cooperating with the investigation. Billups has been placed on immediate leave, and Tiago Splitter will assume head coaching duties in the interim.
Per the Trail Blazers, further questions should be directed to the NBA.
3:30 PM ET – Reporter Mike Valente of WKMG 6 News reports that Rozier is expected to be a same-day release on Thursday after an appearance before a federal judge in Orlando.
Valente reports that Rozier had to put up his $6 million FL residence as bond, and that the suspended Heat guard was escorted into the courtroom, handcuffed and shackled, while wearing a Charlotte Hornets hoodie.
4:15 PM ET- Per Dave McMenamin of ESPN, sources claim former Cavaliers coach Damon Jones allegedly tipped bettors with inside injury information regarding LeBron James.
7:08 PM ET – Footage emerges of Billups emerging from a Portland courthouse following his arraignment Thursday afternoon.
Chauncey Billups leaving the courthouse in Portland, Oregon 👀
He was arrested early Thursday morning as part of a federal investigation into illegal gambling activities. pic.twitter.com/OGjRNmeHyG
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) October 23, 2025
8:46 PM ET- Chauncey Billups’ attorney, Chris Heywood, shares statement to ESPN in wake of Billups’ arrest by the FBI:
Anyone who knows Chauncey Billups knows he is a man of integrity; men of integrity do not cheat and defraud others. To believe that Chauncey Billups did what the federal government is accusing him of is to believe that he would risk his hall-of-fame legacy, his reputation, and his freedom. He would not jeopardize those things for anything, let alone a card game. Furthermore, Chauncey Billups has never and would never gamble on basketball games, provide insider information, or sacrifice the trust of his team and the League, as it would tarnish the game he has devoted his entire life to. Chauncey Billups has never backed down. He does not plan to do so now. He will fight these allegations with the same tenacity that marked his 28-year career. We look forward to our day in court.
Wednesday, Oct. 29
11:15 AM ET- Shams Charaina of ESPN reported that Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups will not be paid while on leave of absences from their teams. Both of their paychecks are expected to be hold back and put down in escrow, pending on outcomes of FBI cases.
“paychecks … placed in escrow, pending outcome of FBI cases.”
Just last weekend, there were rumors that Rozier would receive “full salary” while on leave, in which is not true.
4:00 p.m. ET—Per Charania, the National Basketball Players Association will challenge the decision to withhold Rozier’s paycheck. Rozier is currently working through the final year of a four-season, $96.2 million contract originally signed in Charlotte and is a $26.6 million cap hit in Miami this season.
“While we are in agreement with the league that upholding the integrity of the game is of the utmost importance, their decision to place Terry on leave without pay is counter to the presumption of innocence and inconsistent with the terms of our Collective Bargaining Agreement,” an NBPA spokesperson told Charania. “We plan to challenge their decision via the proper channels.”
