The NBA has been rocked to its core by a sprawling gambling and poker scandal that has ensnared some of its most respected figures. On October 23, 2025, federal authorities arrested Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, and former NBA player and coach Damon Jones, as part of a massive FBI investigation targeting illegal gambling operations linked to notorious Mafia families. The fallout has been swift and dramatic, with the league, teams, and fans all reeling from the revelations.
The investigation, which spanned 11 states and involved multiple law enforcement agencies, culminated in the arrest of 34 individuals, including NBA players and coaches. According to FBI Director Kash Patel, the operation was the result of meticulous financial tracking and undercover work. “Day in and day out, this FBI is following the money — and today is the result of that outstanding work,” Patel told Fox News Digital. “This operation involved an expansive effort across 11 states arresting 34 subjects, including multiple NBA players and coaches, who allegedly took advantage of their own positions of power to rig gambling systems for their own benefit — eventually funneling money to La Cosa Nostra, enriching some of the most notorious criminal networks in the world.”
At the center of the scandal is Chauncey Billups, a Hall of Famer, 2004 NBA champion, and one of the league’s most respected leaders. Billups was apprehended for allegedly facilitating high-stakes, rigged poker games that reportedly generated millions for the Bonanno, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese crime families. The FBI alleges that Billups and others lured wealthy “fish” to games by featuring former pro athletes as “face cards,” while cheating devices like rigged shuffling machines, X-ray tables, and secret cameras ensured the house’s victory. The proceeds were laundered through various means, including cryptocurrency, in a bid to evade detection.
The charges against Billups include conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. After his arrest, Billups was booked into a Portland jail, released after surrendering his passport, and restricted to travel within Oregon and Colorado. The NBA acted quickly, placing Billups and Rozier on immediate leave of absence and vowing to cooperate fully with authorities. “We are in the process of reviewing the federal indictments announced today,” the league stated. “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.”
The Trail Blazers echoed the league’s stance, issuing 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. Any further questions should be directed to the NBA.”
Tiago Splitter, a 40-year-old former NBA player and assistant coach, was thrust into the spotlight as Portland’s interim head coach. Just a day after the scandal broke, Splitter guided the Trail Blazers to a resounding 139-119 victory over the Golden State Warriors — a much-needed respite for a team engulfed in turmoil. The players celebrated Splitter’s first win by dousing him with water bottles in the locker room. “We didn’t wanna do it right when he walked in,” guard Jrue Holiday told reporters, according to Blazer’s Edge. “He was too close to the door and maybe he could’ve ran out or something, so I think being able to get him in the middle of the circle was the best plan, and it was executed well.”
Splitter, reflecting on the moment, said, “I was happy to see a smile on my players’ faces,” capturing a rare moment of joy amid the chaos. Splitter, who played seven seasons in the NBA and has coaching experience with the Nets, Rockets, and Paris Basketball, now faces the daunting task of leading the Blazers through a turbulent stretch. With two home games behind them, Portland heads out for a challenging road trip against the Clippers, Lakers, and Jazz.
The federal investigation, dubbed Operation Zhen Diagram, revealed a complex web of criminal activity. Authorities allege that the poker games were only one facet of the operation. The indictment details how some defendants, including Rozier and Jones, allegedly used non-public information about player availability — such as injuries or rest days — to place fraudulent bets, often in the form of prop wagers on individual player performance. In one instance, Rozier is accused of faking an injury during a March 23, 2023, game between the Charlotte Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans, allegedly informing a co-defendant so they could bet on the outcome. Rozier’s attorney, James Trusty, pushed back forcefully, stating, “Terry was cleared by the NBA and these prosecutors revived that non-case. Terry is not a gambler, but he is not afraid of a fight, and he looks forward to winning this fight.”
Billups, for his part, has maintained his innocence through his attorney, Chris Heywood. “Anyone who knows Chauncey Billups knows he is a man of integrity; men of integrity do not cheat and defraud others,” Heywood said in a statement obtained by ESPN. “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.” Heywood emphasized that Billups has never gambled on NBA games, provided insider information, or sacrificed the trust of his team and the league.
The scope of the operation is staggering. The FBI claims to have recorded more than 3,000 phone calls and meetings, introduced undercover agents to the targets, and uncovered the use of straw bettors to maximize winnings. The indictment describes how the criminal network targeted unwitting victims, using the allure of playing alongside NBA stars while secretly stacking the deck against them. The proceeds, often laundered through cryptocurrency, reportedly enriched some of the country’s most notorious organized crime families.
As the NBA community grapples with the implications, the league’s commitment to integrity has never been more critical. The investigation is ongoing, and the fates of Billups, Rozier, Jones, and others remain uncertain. For the Trail Blazers, the focus shifts to basketball under Splitter’s leadership, but the shadow of scandal looms large. With a tough road trip ahead and the eyes of the sports world watching, Portland’s resilience — both on and off the court — will be put to the test.
The coming weeks promise more twists and high-stakes drama, both in the courtroom and on the hardwood. For now, the NBA’s battle against corruption continues, with the hope that the game’s integrity will ultimately prevail.
