FBI Holds Press Conference Discussing Findings Of Sports Gambling/Illegal Poker Game Investigations

Well, folks, just when you thought the NBA couldn’t get any wilder, the FBI decided to crash the party with handcuffs and indictments. Portland Trail Blazers Head Coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat Guard Terry Rozier found themselves in hot water Thursday morning, arrested as part of a sprawling investigation that reads like something straight out of a Scorsese film. And trust me, this story has more twists than a Kyrie Irving crossover.

Federal prosecutors didn’t mess around, announcing that over 30 individuals were nabbed in two separate but equally sketchy illegal gambling operations. The cast of characters? It’s a who’s who of basketball royalty mixed with old-school organized crime. We’re talking Billups, Rozier, former NBA player Damon Jones, and—wait for it—members of four notorious mafia families: the Lucchese, Bonanno, Gambino, and Genovese crews. Yes, you read that right. The mob is apparently still in the game, just trading Tommy guns for poker chips.

Operation Royal Flush: When the House Always Wins (Illegally)

The FBI, clearly feeling creative with their naming conventions, dubbed the poker investigation “Operation Royal Flush.” Catchy, right? But here’s where it gets dark. This wasn’t your friendly Friday night poker game with the boys. We’re talking about rigged, underground poker operations that allegedly fleeced victims out of at least $7 million. Seven. Million. Dollars.

How’d they pull it off? With technology that would make James Bond jealous. Think hidden cameras, special contact lenses, X-ray poker tables, and poker chip tray analyzers. Basically, if Q from the Bond films ran an illegal casino, this would be his setup. The games were so crooked that the house didn’t just have an edge—it had a freaking GPS to every player’s hand.

And here’s the kicker: professional athletes, including Billups and Jones, were allegedly used as “face cards” to lure unsuspecting victims—referred to as “fish” in the operation—to the table. Picture it: you are invited to play poker with an NBA legend, thinking you’re about to have the coolest night of your life. Instead, you’re about to get fleeced by guys wearing special glasses that let them see through cards. Rough night.

Operation Nothing But Net: When Inside Info Becomes Outside the Law

If the poker scheme sounds bad, buckle up for the NBA betting operation, which investigators dubbed “Operation Nothing But Net.” Six people, including Rozier, were arrested for this one. Former Toronto Raptors Forward Jontay Porter, who was arrested earlier this year, is also tangled up in this mess.

Here’s how it went down: the group allegedly exploited confidential information about NBA players and teams. They’d get the inside scoop on when players would sit out games or pull themselves early due to “injury” (insert air quotes here). Armed with that intel, they’d place thousands of dollars in bets through online sportsbooks and casinos. It’s like having tomorrow’s newspaper today, except instead of winning the lottery, you’re committing federal crimes.

Take Rozier’s situation. Back on March 23, 2023, when he was still with the Charlotte Hornets, he allegedly tipped off a co-defendant that he planned to leave a game early with a supposed injury. Nine minutes into the game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Rozier limped off the court. Meanwhile, bettors who were in on the scheme placed about $200,000 in wagers, betting that Rozier would underperform his stats. Spoiler alert: those under bets cashed in big time.

The investigation reportedly focused on whether Rozier “manipulated his performance as part of an illegal sports betting scheme.” His lawyer, Jim Trusty, came out swinging, calling the arrest a “photo op” and insisting his client was a “subject, not a target” until Thursday morning. Trusty also criticized the FBI for not allowing Rozier to turn himself in, saying they opted for the drama instead. Fair point, but when you’re allegedly part of a multimillion-dollar gambling scheme, you probably don’t get to RSVP to your own arrest.

The Mob Connection: When Old School Meets New School

Let’s circle back to the mafia angle, because honestly, this is where the story gets truly cinematic. Four of the five most notorious mob families—the Bonanno, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese crime families—all had their fingerprints on this case. Thirteen mafia members and associates were among those arrested. It’s 2025, and apparently, the mob is still running schemes, just with better Wi-Fi.

FBI Director Kash Patel held a press conference Thursday morning, calling it a “historic” takedown. He said the “illegal gambling operation and sports rigging operation” spanned years and required coordination across 11 states to arrest more than 30 individuals. Translation: this wasn’t some fly-by-night operation. This was organized, sophisticated, and had tentacles reaching from coast to coast.

What Happens Next?

So where do we go from here? Billups, who was known as “Mr. Big Shot” during his playing days and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024, will be arraigned in Portland. Rozier will attend a hearing in Florida. Jones was arrested in Las Vegas, because of course he was.

Rozier’s lawyer insists his client will fight the charges and “looks forward to winning this fight.” Meanwhile, Rozier was gearing up to play for the Heat this season—he even sat out their season opener Wednesday night against the Orlando Magic, officially due to a hamstring injury. Make of that timing what you will.

And let’s not forget, this isn’t the NBA’s first rodeo with gambling scandals this year. Porter was banned for life after he bet on his own team to lose, faked injuries for gambling purposes, and leaked confidential info to bettors. It’s like the league is playing whack-a-mole with integrity issues.

The Fallout: Trust, Integrity, and a Black Eye For the League

This scandal is a gut punch for the NBA. The league has spent years cozying up to sports betting, partnering with major betting companies, and promoting gambling as part of the fan experience. Now, with coaches, players, and organized crime all allegedly tangled up in illegal schemes, those partnerships feel a little icky.

For fans, it raises uncomfortable questions. Can we trust what we’re watching? Are games being manipulated? When a player leaves early with an injury, is it legit or part of some scheme? The integrity of the sport hinges on the belief that what we’re seeing is real competition, not a scripted con.

The NBA has a lot of work to do to restore faith. Commissioner Adam Silver will need to address this head-on, and the league will likely implement even stricter monitoring and penalties. But the damage is done. This isn’t just a few bad apples—this is a sprawling, multi-state operation involving Hall of Famers, current players, coaches, and the freaking mafia.

Closing Thoughts

This is a different kind of drama for the league, and it’s ugly. Billups was one of the toughest competitors in league history. Rozier is a talented guard who should be focused on hoops, not federal indictments. And yet, here we are.

The FBI’s Operation Royal Flush and Operation Nothing But Net are still ongoing, and I have a feeling we haven’t heard the last of this story. More names could drop. More details could emerge. And the NBA will have to reckon with the fact that its embrace of sports betting might have opened a Pandora’s box it can’t close.

For now, all we can do is watch, wait, and hope that the league we love can clean up this mess. Because if there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that when the house is rigged, nobody wins—except maybe the guys with the X-ray poker tables.