Federal Probe Arrests Trail Blazers Coach Chauncey Billups
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups was arrested on Thursday, October 23, in connection with a federal illegal gambling investigation. Billups, a former NBA star and Hall of Fame inductee, was one of two prominent NBA figures arrested that morning, along with Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier. The arrests are linked to two separate illegal gambling cases involving numerous individuals, including associates of organized crime groups.
Allegations of Illegal Poker Operation
Reports indicate that the charges against Billups are connected to an illegal poker operation tied to the Mafia. This case is separate from any allegations involving bets placed on games he coached for the Trail Blazers.
Billups was arrested in Portland, though specific details of the charges were not immediately released. Federal authorities, including the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, were scheduled to provide a formal announcement later on Thursday.
Billups, who was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024, began his fifth season as the Trail Blazers’ head coach the previous night.
Context of Rozier’s Arrest
Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was arrested in Orlando, Florida, as part of the same overall federal probe. His case is linked to an investigation into illegal sports betting, with sources indicating Rozier is among six people charged with using inside information for unlawful wagers.
Rozier was previously scrutinized by the NBA in 2023 for suspicious betting activity on his own player prop statistics. This federal investigation is being handled by the same U.S. Attorney’s Office that prosecuted former Raptors player Jontay Porter, who received a lifetime ban in 2024 for manipulating his on-court performance for betting purposes.
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