FBI arrests NBA players, coaches in sports betting, illegal gambling schemes

​​​​​​​By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - US authorities charged current and former NBA players and coaches in two major fraud cases involving an insider sports betting conspiracy and illegal gambling operations backed by organized crime families, officials announced Thursday.

FBI Director Kash Patel told reporters that the bureau led a coordinated takedown in 11 states, arresting more than 30 people in an ongoing investigation involving tens of millions of dollars in fraud and theft spanning multiple years.

US Attorney Joseph Nocella for the Eastern District of New York said the first indictment charges six defendants with participating in "one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes since online sports betting became widely legalized" in the US.

Nocella said defendants exploited confidential information about NBA athletes and teams, including when players would sit out future games or pull themselves out early for purported injuries or illnesses.

He said defendants used the non-public information to place hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent bets, mostly on individual player performance prop bets.

The defendants include Damon Jones, a former NBA player and coach; current Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier; and Chauncey Billups, the head coach of the Portland Trailblazers.

A second indictment charges 31 defendants with participating in a nationwide scheme to rig illegal poker games using high-tech cheating technology to steal millions from victims.

Games in the New York area were backed by the Bonanno, Gambino and Genovese crime families, said Nocella.

Charges in both cases include wire fraud, money laundering, extortion, robbery and illegal gambling.