Thursday morning, the sports world was shocked when Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier were named in a wide-ranging betting scandal. A federal investigation was underway into an illegal sports betting and gambling operation run by the mafia, and those two were among the people named. Billups was immediately placed on leave following the announcement and will remain on leave while the investigation unfolds.
The Portland Trail Blazers immediately placed Billups on leave and made Tiago Splitter the interim head coach while the investigation unfolded. In their statement, the Trail Blazers also mentioned that they are fully cooperating and that any further questions by the media should be directed to the NBA.
The statement read, “We are aware of the allegations involving head coach Chauncey Billups, and the Portland 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.”
On Thursday afternoon, the NBA released a statement that Rozier and Billups were being placed on “immediate leave” from the Heat and the Trail Blazers, respectively.
“We are in the process of reviewing the federal indictments announced today,” the league said. “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.”
Billups was charged with allegedly taking part in illegal poker games operated by organized crime. Then, Rozier was charged with the same crime and also in connection with a sports betting ring involving current and former NBA players trading inside, non-public information largely about injuries and illnesses.
Law enforcement officials said games were organized in 2019 in the Hamptons, Manhattan, Las Vegas, and Miami. The profits from the alleged poker scheme reached at least $7 million and counting. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the investigation took place over two years.
When victims, some of whom lost millions, refused to pay, the mob defendants would resort to violence to coerce payment, the NYPD said.
“The fraud is mindboggling,” FBI Director Kash Patel said at a news conference in Brooklyn announcing the charges. “We're talking about tens of millions of dollars in theft, fraud, and robbery.”
The documents show that Billups allegedly won $50,000 from one poker game. This is a massive investigation that has tentacles all over the place, and it will only continue.
