NBA Gambling Scandal: Historic FBI Raid Uncovers $10 Billion Scheme Tied to Mafia and NBA Insiders

On October 23, 2025, the world of professional basketball was rocked by one of the most shocking scandals in sports history. Federal agents executed a coordinated takedown across 11 states, arresting over 30 individuals tied to a sprawling criminal enterprise that involved NBA coaches, players, and even organized crime families. The raid on a Chicago warehouse uncovered billions in cash linked to illegal NBA gambling operations, exposing basketball’s darkest secrets and threatening to dismantle the league’s integrity forever.

This wasn’t just a simple betting scandal. What investigators revealed was a sophisticated network of insider trading, game manipulation, and mafia-backed poker operations that had been operating for years. FBI Director Cash Patel described the operation as “historic” and “catastrophic,” emphasizing the gravity of the charges. “This is organized crime meeting professional sports, and the collision is devastating,” Patel stated during a press conference in New York.

The Scandal Unfolds

The federal investigation revealed two interconnected schemes: one involving insider sports betting manipulation, dubbed Operation Nothing But Bet, and another centered around rigged high-stakes poker games, referred to as Operation Royal Flush. Both schemes generated tens of millions in fraudulent profits and implicated some of basketball’s biggest names.

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Among the 30 individuals arrested were Portland Trailblazers head coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, and former NBA player Damon Jones. These arrests sent shockwaves through the basketball world, tarnishing the reputations of respected figures and raising questions about the integrity of the league.

Insider Sports Betting Manipulation

The insider betting scheme was as simple as it was devastating. NBA coaches and players provided confidential information about injuries, player availability, and game strategies to a network of gamblers, allowing them to place highly profitable bets on statistical unders and game outcomes.

One of the most damning incidents detailed in the indictment involved Terry Rozier during a March 23, 2023 game between the Charlotte Hornets and the New Orleans Pelicans. Rozier allegedly informed a friend of his plan to fake an injury and exit the game early, allowing bettors to place $200,000 worth of wagers on his underperformance. Rozier played just over nine minutes before leaving the game with a supposed head injury, and every single bet hit, resulting in massive payouts.

Chauncey Billups was also implicated in providing insider information. On March 24, 2023, Billups allegedly tipped off gamblers that the Trailblazers would be tanking their game against the Chicago Bulls, with several key players sitting out due to undisclosed injuries. This information allowed the betting ring to rake in hundreds of thousands of dollars in winnings.

Rigged Poker Games: Mafia Meets Technology

The poker operation, backed by organized crime families including the Gambino, Bonanno, Lucchese, and Genovese families, was equally sophisticated. High-stakes games were held in exclusive venues like Manhattan penthouses, Las Vegas casinos, and Miami clubs, targeting wealthy victims with buy-ins ranging from $10,000 to $100,000.

What made these games particularly insidious was the use of cutting-edge cheating technology. Modified shuffling machines scanned cards and transmitted data to spotters, while X-ray poker tables revealed face-down cards. Players wearing special contact lenses or glasses could detect invisible markings on cards, giving them an unfair advantage.

Chauncey Billups allegedly acted as a “face card,” using his NBA celebrity status to lure wealthy victims into these rigged games. Prosecutors claim Billups received tens of thousands of dollars in kickbacks for his participation, while the mafia enforced debts through threats, violence, and even arson.

The Fallout

The consequences of this scandal are far-reaching and devastating. Both Rozier and Billups were immediately placed on indefinite administrative leave by their respective teams, and the NBA is now facing a crisis of trust. Commissioner Adam Silver issued a statement emphasizing the league’s commitment to integrity but acknowledged the damage this scandal has caused.

“This is deeply disturbing,” Silver said during a broadcast. “There’s nothing more important to the league and its fans than the integrity of the competition. We will cooperate fully with federal authorities and take all necessary steps to ensure this never happens again.”

Rozier, who was playing on a $26.6 million contract, now faces the possibility of a lifetime ban under NBA rules. Billups, a Hall of Famer and respected coach, could see his career and legacy destroyed. If convicted, both men face decades in prison and millions in restitution payments.

Organized Crime’s Role

The involvement of organized crime families adds another layer of danger and complexity to this case. The mafia didn’t just profit from these schemes—they actively organized and enforced them. Victims who refused to pay gambling debts were subjected to violence, including pistol-whipping and arson attacks.

Federal prosecutors have described this as one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes since the legalization of sports betting in 2018. The indictment details over 3,000 recorded calls, dozens of search warrants, and millions of dollars in fraudulent proceeds traced through cryptocurrency exchanges and shell companies.

The Bigger Picture

This scandal raises profound questions about the future of professional sports in an era of legalized gambling. Since the Supreme Court’s 2018 decision to legalize sports betting nationwide, the industry has grown into a $150 billion market. But with that growth has come increased opportunities for manipulation and corruption.

The NBA, which has partnerships with betting operators like DraftKings and FanDuel, now faces scrutiny over whether it has done enough to prevent scandals like this. Commissioner Silver has called for stricter federal regulations and enhanced monitoring, but the damage to fans’ trust may be irreversible.

Every close game, every unexpected injury, every surprising coaching decision will now be viewed with suspicion. Fans who invest their time and money into following the NBA are left wondering: Was that game real, or was it rigged?

Conclusion

The NBA gambling scandal is a wake-up call for professional sports. It exposes the vulnerabilities of a league that has embraced gambling partnerships while failing to safeguard against corruption. As the investigation continues, more arrests and revelations are expected, and the fallout will likely reshape the NBA for years to come.

For now, one thing is certain: October 23, 2025, will go down in history as the day basketball’s darkest secrets were brought to light, and the integrity of the game was called into question.