Three former Boston Celtics players—Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier, and Damon Jones—were among 31 defendants charged Thursday in a sweeping federal gambling and poker investigation. Prosecutors say the case combines NBA insider access with organized crime.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York unsealed two indictments outlining a criminal enterprise that used non-public NBA information, wire-fraud schemes, and rigged poker games to generate tens of millions of dollars in illicit profits over several years.

According to the Justice Department, the operation, active between 2019 and 2025, relied on high-tech cheating devices including marked cards, X-ray-enabled tables, and modified shufflers to fix high-stakes poker games across several states. The group also laundered millions through cryptocurrency and shell companies.

“The fraud is mind-boggling,” FBI Director Kash Patel said at a press briefing. “We’re talking about tens of millions of dollars in fraud, theft, and robbery across a multi-year investigation of a criminal enterprise that envelops both the NBA and La Cosa Nostra.”

### Billups, Rozier, and Jones Among NBA Figures Indicted

**Chauncey Billups**, who began his NBA career with the Celtics in 1997, faces wire-fraud and money-laundering conspiracy charges. Federal prosecutors allege he lent his name and presence to exclusive poker games designed to lure wealthy participants, who were unaware that the games were rigged to ensure the organizer’s profits. Billups, now head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, was arrested in Oregon and placed on administrative leave following the indictment.

**Terry Rozier**, who played for Boston from 2015 to 2019, faces sports-betting fraud and wire-fraud conspiracy charges. Prosecutors allege Rozier provided confidential information about his own playing status to bettors who used it to place lucrative wagers. According to the indictment, Rozier informed co-conspirators before a January 2024 game that he would leave early due to a minor ankle injury, a detail not disclosed to the public. The group allegedly bet heavily on player props for Rozier to finish below his projected scoring total and for his team to lose. Rozier exited in the second quarter as expected, and the bettors allegedly earned more than $250,000 in winnings. Rozier was arrested in Miami, where he currently plays for the Heat, and was immediately suspended by the NBA.

**Damon Jones**, who had a brief stint in Boston during the 1998-99 season, was charged with transmitting non-public information for gambling purposes. Prosecutors allege he tipped off a co-conspirator that LeBron James would sit out a February 2023 Lakers game against the Milwaukee Bucks before the information was public. Jones also allegedly shared another tip before a January 2024 Lakers-Thunder game, claiming Anthony Davis would play limited minutes. He received $2,500 for the tip, while an associate wagered $100,000 against the Lakers—a bet that failed when Davis played 35 minutes and led Los Angeles to victory.

### NBA Suspends Billups and Rozier, Vows Full Cooperation

The NBA confirmed that both Billups and Rozier have been placed on immediate leave. The league is cooperating fully with federal investigators.

“We are in the process of reviewing the federal indictments announced today,” the NBA said in a statement. “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.”

### From Boston to Prosecution

For Boston fans, the charges carry deep resonance. Billups was once the Celtics’ No. 3 overall pick in the 1997 NBA Draft before being traded midseason. Rozier, known as “Scary Terry” for his playoff heroics in 2018, became a local fan favorite. Meanwhile, Jones, a journeyman guard, briefly suited up for Boston during the 1998-99 campaign before later teaming with LeBron James in Cleveland.

Now, all three former Celtics players are facing federal charges in what officials are calling one of the largest gambling and organized crime probes in professional basketball history.

### Federal Probe Still Expanding

Federal prosecutors said Thursday’s arrests are part of an ongoing, multi-year investigation into illegal gambling and organized crime operations connected to professional sports.

These latest developments follow former Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter’s guilty plea in July to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in a separate betting scandal that led to his lifetime NBA ban. Porter is scheduled to be sentenced in December.

Officials said more arrests could follow as authorities continue tracing connections between professional athletes, criminal associates, and illegal betting networks that exploited inside information for financial gain.
https://heavy.com/sports/nba/boston-celtics/billups-rozier-arrested/