NBA stars Chauncy Billups, Terry Rozier and Damon Jones are among those arrested in separate, but related, illegal gambling cases, the FBI has announced
The first case involves six defendants alleged of being involved in a “brazen sports corruption scheme”, while the second involves 31 defendants accused of participating in rigged illegal poker games
He adds the arrests are part of an illegal gambling and sports rigging operation that spanned years, and calls the fraud “mind-boggling”
“Your winning streak has ended. Your luck has run out,” US Attorney Joseph Nocella tells the defendants
BBC US partner CBS News says federal investigators had been probing unusual betting activity related to a March 2023 game Rozier played for the Charlotte Hornets. Reuters
Image caption,
US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Joseph Nocella, Jr. speaks during a press conference related to arrests of NBA players and coaches for illegal gambling schemes
We just heard from federal and local law enforcement officials after several US basketball figures, including a current coach and player, were arrested in two wide-ranging investigations involving the mafia.
Here are the major takeaways from the news conference:
The investigations included alleged illegal and rigged gambling activities in which the perpetrators used special technology including contact lenses to read cards, manipulate shuffles, and communicate with others
They enticed their victims with the prospect of playing alongside notable individuals including athletes, officials say
Charges include wire and crypto fraud, money laundering, extortion, and armed robbery, officials says
Another scheme involved players using privileged information to help others bet on their games
In one case, NBA Terry Rozier is suspected to have feigned an injury during a game, information he is alleged to have passed on before the game started
Victims lost about $7 million (£5.2 million) in the schemes. One person lost over $1 million, officials say
Officials says the National Basketball Association is cooperating and that college basketball games were not part of this investigation.NBA stars Chauncy Billups, Terry Rozier and Damon Jones are among those arrested in separate, but related, illegal gambling cases, the FBI has announced
The first case involves six defendants alleged of being involved in a “brazen sports corruption scheme”, while the second involves 31 defendants accused of participating in rigged illegal poker games
He adds the arrests are part of an illegal gambling and sports rigging operation that spanned years, and calls the fraud “mind-boggling”
“Your winning streak has ended. Your luck has run out,” US Attorney Joseph Nocella tells the defendants
BBC US partner CBS News says federal investigators had been probing unusual betting activity related to a March 2023 game Rozier played for the Charlotte Hornets-BBC
