The indictment of Rozier and others says there are nine unnamed co-conspirators including a Florida resident who was an NBA player and an Oregon resident who was an NBA player from about 1997 to 2014 and an NBA coach since at least 2021, as well as a relative of Rozier.

Former NBA player Jontay Porter is named among "other relevant individuals" in the indictment.

By the Associated Press

Rozier and other defendants "had access to private information known by NBA players or NBA coaches" that was likely to affect the outcome of games or players' performances, and provided that information to other co-conspirators in exchange for either a flat fee or a share of betting profits, the indictment says.

By the Associated Press

In the sports betting scheme, players sometimes altered their performance or took themselves out of games early, New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.

In one instance, Rozier while playing for the Hornets told other he was planning to leave the game early with a "supposed injury," allowing others to place wagers that raked in thousands of dollars, Tisch said.

By the Associated Press

One involves sports betting, the other rigged poker games.

US Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said at the news conference that six defendants are accused of participating in an insider sports betting conspiracy that exploited confidential information about NBA athletes and teams, in "one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes since online sports betting became widely legalized in the United States."

The second case involves 31 defendants in a nationwide scheme to rig illegal poker games, Nocella said. The defendants include former professional athletes accused of using technology to steal millions from victims in underground poker games in the New York area that were backed by mafia families, he said.

By the Associated Press

"A long time ago we reached out to these prosecutors to tell them we should have an open line of communication," Jim Trusty, Rozier's attorney, said in a statement sent to multiple outlets Thursday.

"They characterized Terry as a subject, not a target, but at 6 a.m. this morning they called to tell me FBI agents were trying to arrest him in a hotel. It is unfortunate that instead of allowing him to self surrender, they opted for a photo op. They wanted the misplaced glory of embarrassing a professional athlete with a perp walk. That tells you a lot about the motivations in this case."

By the Associated Press

"It's not hundreds of dollars. It's not thousands of dollars. It's not tens of thousands of dollars. It's not even millions of dollars," Patel said. "We're talking about tens of millions of dollars in fraud and theft and robbery across a multi-year investigation."

The alleged fraud is historic in terms of money and the deceit used to steal and swindle, including crypto fraud, he said.

No one will be denied due process and the evidence will be presented in court, Patel said. "Everyone will be held to account," he said.

US Attorney's Office spokesperson John Marzulli says 31 people are in custody and others are expected to surrender.

By the Associated Press

"This is an illegal gambling operation and sports rigging operation that spanned the course of years," Patel said.

He said the fraud involves the "La Cosa Nostra" and named multiple mafia families.

By the Associated Press

Billups played for Boston, Detroit, Toronto, Denver, Minnesota, the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Clippers. He won the Joe Dumars Trophy, the NBA's sportsmanship award, in 2009 while playing for his hometown Denver Nuggets.

Now 49, he's in his fifth season as Portland's coach, compiling a 117-212 record.

By the Associated Press

Billups was a five-time All-Star with an NBA playing career that spanned 17 seasons, including a championship with Detroit in 2004. He was inducted to the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame last year.

The Blazers did not release terms of its coaching deal with Billups when it was announced in April. Portland missed out on the postseason for the fourth straight year under Billups, but they expressed confidence in the team's future.

"The core of Chauncey's leadership is his ability to build a collaborative culture and growth mindset for our young team," Blazers chair Jody Allen said then in a statement.

"So much promise here. I'm pumped about it," Billups said.

By the Associated Press

Posts still online from March 23, 2023 show that some bettors were furious with sportsbooks that evening when it became evident that Rozier was not going to return to the Charlotte-New Orleans game after the first quarter, with many turning to social media to say that something "shady" had gone on regarding the prop bets involving his stats for that night.

A prop is a type of wager that allows gamblers to bet on whether a player will exceed a certain statistical number, such as whether the player will finish over or under a certain total of points, rebounds, assists and more.

The NBA has expressed concerns about prop bets, and other sports have also openly worried about the potential for manipulation. Such bets -- and bettors losing on them -- have also exposed athletes to often hateful criticism from both fans in arenas and online.

By the Associated Press

The exact charge or charges Rozier faces haven't been made public. FBI Director Kash Patel and other law enforcement officials were expected to provide more information at a news conference in Brooklyn on Thursday.

But this case was brought by the same US attorney's office in Brooklyn that previously prosecuted ex-NBA player Jontay Porter, whose sentencing is set for Dec. 10. The former Toronto Raptors center pleaded guilty to charges that he withdrew early from games, claiming illness or injury, so that those in the know could win big with "prop bets" -- wagering that he would underperform expectations.

By the Associated Press

Messages seeking comment were left Thursday morning with lawyers for Rozier and Billups.

Rozier's attorney, Jim Trusty, previously told ESPN that Rozier met with NBA and FBI officials in 2023 and was told that an initial investigation determined he did nothing wrong, the sports network reported.

By the Associated Press

Dozens charged in illegal sports betting and rigged poker games tied to the Mafia. Follow live updates. - The Boston Globe