The FBI has arrested 37 individuals, including a prominent basketball star and a coach, in a nationwide crackdown on illegal betting and mafia-operated poker rackets in the United States.
The international media outlet BBC confirmed the details in a recent report.
Federal prosecutors stated that the arrested individuals include Miami Heat’s Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups.
According to the BBC, Rozier, aged 31, and five others were arrested for allegedly manipulating betting markets. Meanwhile, Billups and 31 others were taken into custody for involvement in illegal poker games. The network reportedly had links to former NBA players and several mafia families based in New York.
Prosecutors said four of New York’s five major organized crime families were involved with the syndicate. The group reportedly ran a fraudulent operation, tricking well-known athletes into poker games and cheating them out of large sums using advanced technology such as contact lenses, specialized glasses for reading marked cards, and even X-ray tables that revealed the faces of hidden cards.
In a statement, the NBA said it is thoroughly reviewing the case and has suspended Rozier and Billups pending further investigation. “We are taking these allegations with the utmost seriousness. Protecting the integrity of the game is our top priority,” the statement read.
Rozier’s lawyer denied the charges, telling CBS News, “Terry is not a gambler. He will prove his innocence in court.”
Rozier was presented before an Orlando court on Thursday and was granted bail after posting his $6 million residence as collateral.
Meanwhile, Billups, who was detained in Portland, is expected to appear in court soon. Local media report he, too, will seek release on a high-value bail
TSN