Gambling Issues: NBA Players & Coach Arrested
Gambling is a vice that can bring down an individual to depths personally and professionally. On Thursday morning FBI Director, Kash Patel, announced the arrests of former and current NBA players and a current coach.
The FBI announced the arrests of Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier as part of wide ranging investigation that also included 34 other arrests. Allegedly these illegal activities were backed up by four Mafia crime families out of New York.
The NBA announced that both Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier have been placed on leave from their respective teams immediately.
“This is the insider trading saga for the NBA,” FBI director Kash Patel said
The defendants in this case “had access to private information known by NBA players or NBA coaches” that would likely affect the outcome of games and player performances. This information that was provided was in exchange for a flat fee or sharing of betting profits according to the indictment.
U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Joseph Nocella Jr. called it “one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes since online sports betting became widely legalized in the United States.” (ESPN)
Both Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups were arrested around 6am local time in Miami and Portland.
Rozier and Billups Charges
Terry Rozier was indicted for allegedly taking himself out of a game in 2023 on purpose. By taking himself out of the game it allowed a bettor to win money. Rozier was investigated by the NBA and cleared. However, these charges come from a case that is ongoing. The case has already produced a guilty verdict and a life long ban for former Toronto Raptor, Johntay Porter. Porter was found guilty of betting on games and manipulating his own performance, so co-conspirators could win on prop bets.
Chauncey Billups was indicted for his wide ranging participation in defrauding card players in poker games.
Damon Jones Indictment
Damon Jones, a former NBA player, was also indicted. Jones was charged in both cases. The two indictments included 34 co-conspirators with allegedly 13 men that have ties to organized crime families. Jones used information from a “prominent NBA player” to sell to professional gamblers. Allegedly this prominent NBA player is LeBron James. James said he had “no idea” that the information given was for gambling purposes. That sold information was used to make money off bets in the NBA.
FBI and Prosecutors
United States Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. called the charges against Rozier and Jones “one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes since online sports betting became widely legalized in the United States.
“This scheme is an insider sports betting conspiracy that exploited confidential information about National Basketball Association athletes and teams,” Nocella said.
The NBA put out a statement as well: “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 takes these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and the integrity of our game remains our top priority.”
Gambling Issues?
Do we have a gambling issue in this country? Maybe. Do we have a gambling problem in professional sports? Possibly. However, we can look at this sad state of affairs this way. Every time one of these professional athletes becomes a pro they are given the rules. These rules state what you can do and what you can’t do. One of the biggest rules is to stay away from gambling. These athletes are basically told to not make any bets in any sort of way or in any type of setting. .
Let’s be real though. Professional athletes gamble all the time in every sport. Plus, these professional leagues are sponsored by the many gambling companies out there. With that being said, these indictments are the fault of every player and coach involved. If the alleged charges turn out to be true then Damon Jones, Chauncey Billups, and Terry Rozier have nobody but themselves to blame for their lot in life.
Michael J. Wilson-The Daily Waiver
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