FBI Busts Wide-Ranging NBA Gambling Ring: Mafia Ties Exposed in Arrests of Rozier, Billups, and Mob-Linked Operatives
- 17GEN4
- Oct 23
- 3 min read
October 23, 2025 – Brooklyn, NY – FBI Busts Multi-Million Dollar Gambling Empire in "Operation Royal Flush": NBA Stars, Mafia Ties Exposed
In a high-stakes takedown that reads like a script from a Martin Scorsese film, federal authorities announced Thursday the arrests of more than 30 individuals, including current and former NBA players and coaches, in a sprawling illegal gambling and poker-rigging scheme dubbed "Operation Royal Flush." The operation, which spanned 11 states and years of undercover work, has severed a critical "financial pipeline" for organized crime families, according to FBI officials.
The indictments, unveiled during a joint press conference by the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the New York Police Department (NYPD), reveal two interconnected probes: one targeting sports betting corruption ("Operation Nothing But Net") and the other focused on high-tech poker fraud. Together, they allegedly defrauded victims of at least $7 million, with one high-roller losing upwards of $1.8 million in rigged games.
NBA Insiders and Mafia ConnectionsAt the heart of the scandal are allegations of insider trading in NBA prop bets, where players and coaches purportedly leaked confidential information to gamblers with ties to La Cosa Nostra, the American branch of the Sicilian Mafia. Among the high-profile arrests:
Chauncey Billups, head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, nabbed in Oregon.
Terry Rozier, guard for the Miami Heat, taken into custody in Florida.
Damon Jones, former NBA player and coach, overlapping both indictments.
FBI Assistant Director Christopher Raia detailed how defendants exploited their access to NBA locker rooms. In one stark example, Rozier allegedly tipped off co-conspirators on March 23, 2023, that he planned to exit a game early due to an "injury." Bettors then wagered over $200,000 on the "under" for his points and minutes, cashing in tens of thousands after Rozier played just nine minutes. The group reportedly divvied up the winnings at Rozier's home.
Former Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter was also implicated, with agents claiming he was coerced into the scheme due to mounting gambling debts. Teams like the Charlotte Hornets, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Raptors were among those targeted for bets.
The mafia angle implicates 13 members and associates from New York families including the Bonanno, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese clans. Raia described the operation as a "financial pipeline" funneling illicit funds back to organized crime.
High-Tech Poker Heist: Shuffles, Cameras, and X-Rays
The poker arm of the probe, "Operation Royal Flush," paints an even more cinematic picture of deception. Defendants allegedly ran underground games in elite locales—the Hamptons, Miami, Las Vegas, and Manhattan—luring wealthy marks with celebrity bait like Billups and Jones.
To stack the deck, the crew deployed James Bond-level gadgets:
Custom shuffling machines that scanned card orders.
Barcoded decks and hidden cameras embedded in tables, light fixtures, and poker chip trays.
Special contact lenses and glasses to read marked cards.
X-ray-equipped tables revealing face-down hands.
An off-site "quarterback" relayed intel via encrypted channels, ensuring the house always won. In a brazen twist, one rigged shuffler was stolen at gunpoint from a victim, escalating charges to include extortion and robbery.HSI Special Agent in Charge Ricky Patel called the bust "reminiscent of a Hollywood movie," crediting four years of investigation, thousands of hours of video surveillance, and over two dozen search warrants. "This wasn't luck—it was relentless, evidence-driven work," Patel said.NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch highlighted the tech's sophistication: "Custom shuffling machines that could read the order of cards, barcoded decks, and hidden cameras built into tables and light fixtures."
Broader Charges and Ongoing Fallout
The 37 total defendants face a laundry list of federal charges: illegal gambling, wire fraud, money laundering, extortion, and robbery. While the cases are distinct, three figures—including Jones—bridge the sports and poker worlds.
"Today, the FBI dismantled a multi-million dollar gambling ring tied to La Cosa Nostra... Cheating, corruption, and laundering have consequences. We followed the money, and the law caught up."
The NBA has not commented officially, but sources say league officials are cooperating fully. Analysts warn this could trigger a wider audit of gambling influences in professional sports, especially post-2018 legalization expansions.
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