Terry Rozier (left) is accused of involvement in a conspiracy to manipulate match results - Photo: REUTERS
Among them is Chauncey Billups, a former Hall of Famer and currently the coach of the Portland Trail Blazers basketball team. He was arrested in connection with a mafia-backed gambling ring.
Meanwhile, Miami Heat star Terry Rozier is accused of participating in a game-fixing conspiracy by exploiting inside information about NBA players.
FBI Director Kash Patel stated at a recent press conference: "Today (October 23), we are in New York to announce a historic arrest of a widespread criminal organization. This is a long-standing illegal gambling and sports betting fraud operation."
U.S. federal prosecutors have released two indictments and announced that they have arrested more than 30 individuals across multiple states as part of an investigation into sports betting fraud and illegal gambling operations linked to the Bonanno, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese crime families.
The indictments announced in New York have cast a huge dark cloud over the National Basketball Association (NBA). Prosecutor Joseph Nocella called it "one of the most blatant sports corruption schemes since online sports betting was widely legalized in America."
He added: "My message to the defendants arrested today is that your winning streak has ended. Your luck has run out."
Following the incident, the NBA stated that they had removed Billups and Rozier from the league and were ready to cooperate with authorities. The NBA declared, "We take these allegations very seriously. And the integrity of the game remains our top priority."
Rozier has earned $160 million in his career and is in the final year of his four-year, $96 million contract with the Miami Heat.
Billups, on the other hand, has been selected to the NBA All-Star team five times and won a championship with the Detroit Pistons in 2004. He retired in 2014 and became the head coach of Portland State University in 2021.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/rung-dong-cau-thu-va-hlv-o-nba-bi-fbi-bat-giu-vi-co-bac-bat-hop-phap-do-mafia-hau-thuan-20251024031651241.htm
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