Sports
NBA obtaining cell phones from Lakers, other teams in investigation into illegal gambling scheme: report
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The NBA is reportedly seeking cell phones and other property from multiple teams as part of its investigation into illegal sports gambling.
Los Angeles Lakers assistant trainer Mike Mancias and executive administrator Randy Mims, who each have close ties to superstar LeBron James, have reportedly already cooperated in handing over their cell phones to the outside law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, which has been contracted by the NBA to help carry out the investigation, The Athletic first reported.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) shoots as Minnesota Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (9) defends during the first half in Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)
“The NBA engaged an independent law firm to investigate the allegations in the indictment once it was made public,” an NBA spokesman said in a statement to Fox News Digital on Sunday. “As is standard in these kinds of investigations, a number of different individuals and organizations were asked to preserve documents and records. Everyone has been fully cooperative.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the Lakers for comment.
The NBA is in the midst of handling a bombshell scandal that resulted in the federal indictment of Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and former NBA player and coach Damon Jones for their alleged roles in a criminal gambling scheme, last month.
Congress got involved when the House Committee on Commerce Friday sent a letter to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver requesting information and a briefing to obtain information related to the scandal. The bipartisan letter was signed by six members of Congress on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
The committee is seeking five key points of information from Silver:
“1. Details about the fraudulent, illegal, and alleged betting practices in connection with NBA players, coaches, and officials, including the actions of NBA players and coaches identified in the recent indictment; as well as prior instances, some of which are identified above,” the letter states.
“2. Actions the NBA intends to take to limit the disclosure of nonpublic information for illegal purposes. 3. Whether the NBA’s Code of Conduct for players and coaches effectively prohibits illegal activity, including the disclosure of non-public information for the purposes of illegal betting schemes. 4. An explanation of the gaps, if any, in existing regulations that allow illegal betting schemes to occur. 5. Whether and how the NBA is reevaluating the terms of its partnerships with sports betting companies.”
The letter also references comments made by Silver during an appearance Tuesday on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show,” where the commissioner expressed support for more federal sports betting regulation.
“I think, probably, there should be more regulation, frankly,” Silver said. “I wish there was federal legislation rather than state by state. I think you’ve got to monitor the amount of promotion, the amount of advertising around it.”
The Department of Justice listed seven NBA games that saw high-stakes wagers after non-public information was disclosed to gamblers.
Rozier’s alleged involvement came in a game March 23, 2023, when he told a childhood friend, Deniro Laster, that he would take himself out of a game early, citing an injury, so Laster could place wagers based on the information. Neither Hornets officials nor betting companies were made aware of Rozier’s plan, according to the indictment, and Rozier was not listed on the team’s injury report.
HEAT’S TERRY ROZIER ARRESTED AS PART OF FBI SPORTS BETTING PROBE
Laster then allegedly sold that information to other co-conspirators, and numerous people placed wagers totaling roughly $200,000 on Rozier’s “under” prop bets to hit in both parlay and straight wagers. After Rozier played just nine minutes and never returned, the bets won. Rozier and Laster counted cash winnings at Rozier’s home in Charlotte roughly a week later, an indictment says.
The DOJ says the player was eventually ruled out with a lower-body injury. LeBron James did not play that night due to an ankle injury that kept him out for two more games. The game in question was played two days after James scored 38 points to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
Another game the DOJ mentioned was a Portland Trail Blazers–Chicago Bulls matchup March 24, 2023, the day after Rozier played nine minutes, and a co-conspirator, “an NBA coach at the time,” allegedly told a longtime friend, who is also a defendant in the rigged poker scheme, that the Blazers would be “tanking” that night for a better draft pick and would sit some of the team’s best players. The resting of the players had not yet been public information.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier (2) looks on during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards, Sunday, March 31, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)
Rozier and Jones were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The NBA announced that Rozier and Billups were placed on immediate leave from their teams, “and we will continue to cooperate with the relevant authorities.”
“The integrity of our game remains our top priority,” the NBA said.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Washington hasn’t won consecutive games in more than a month. Sunday night’s matchup with the Predators provides the opportunity to do just that.
Source link
Naumov’s parents died last January in the plane crash over the Potomac River. “We did it,” he said after securing his place on the U.S. team in Milan.
Source link
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Josh Allen has finally won a road playoff game, and it took his Superman traits to get it done for his Buffalo Bills.
The Bills took down the Jacksonville Jaguars, 27-24, behind Allen’s two rushing scores, including the game-winner on Sunday afternoon.
The fourth quarter was electric for both teams, as each scored two touchdowns in the 15 minutes that ensued. But it was Allen’s second rushing score of the game that mattered most in the end.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Josh Hines-Allen of the Jaguars sacks Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills during the AFC wild-card game at EverBank Stadium on Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Florida. (Mike Carlson/Getty Images)
Allen and the Bills’ offense faced a 24-20 deficit after Trevor Lawrence found Travis Etienne Jr. for a 14-yard touchdown catch, where he broke one tackle and flew into the end zone. The Duval County crowd went nuts, but the clock was still in Buffalo’s favor.
After all, we’ve seen Allen have some good playoff heroics in the past. But he was 0-4 in road playoff games for his career coming into this contest, and the pressure was certainly on as Jacksonville’s defense was making it hard for him all game.
Allen’s first clutch moment of the drive came when he threw the ball 36 yards off his back foot to Brandin Cooks to flip the field into Jaguars territory. Cooks stepped up with 58 yards on three receptions, including this key one down the stretch.
SUPER BOWL CHAMP CRITICIZES JAGUARS’ DECISION-MAKING IN CRUCIAL SPOT VS BILLS
Then, the Bills found themselves with a fourth-and-inches play, the game on the line from Jacksonville’s 11-yard line. It wasn’t hard to tell Buffalo was going to run their version of the tush push with Allen, but no one expected what happened next.
Not only did Allen get the push he needed for the first down, but his teammates continued to thrust him forward for 10 yards, almost finding the end zone.
On the very next play, after officials reversed their initial ruling of a touchdown, the Bills went back to the well as Allen was pushed into the end zone without much of a Jaguars threat. Jacksonville seemed to want them to score with just over a minute left to play and down three points.
Trevor Lawrence of the Jaguars throws a pass against the Buffalo Bills at EverBank Stadium on Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Florida. (Mike Carlson/Getty Images)
Given kicker Cam Little’s leg — he reset the NFL’s longest made field goal record earlier this season — Lawrence didn’t need to go too far to allow a chance to send the game to overtime.
But on the very first play of the drive, a pass intended to Jakobi Meyers was tipped by Tre’Davious White, who had a tremendous game, and intercepted by safety Cole Bishop. Bishop smartly fell to the turf and the game was over with the Jaguars not possessing any timeouts.
The Bills will now wait to see who their next opponent will be in the divisional round.
In the box score, Allen was 28-of-35 for 273 yards with a touchdown pass to Dalton Kincaid in the fourth quarter. He also had 33 rush yards on 11 carries, while James Cook had trouble all day against the league’s top rushing defense, with only 46 yards on 15 touches in the backfield.
Khalil Shakir stepped up for Buffalo as well, hauling in all 12 of his targets for 82 yards.
For Jacksonville, Lawrence had three touchdown passes on his 30 attempts, but also two interceptions, the other by Shaq Thompson in the first half. He threw for 207 yards with 31 rushing yards on six attempts to close out his season.
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen looks to pass against the Jacksonville Jaguars in an AFC wild-card at EverBank Stadium on Jan. 11, 2026. (Nathan Ray Seebeck/Imagn Images)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The rush attack was good for the Jaguars, who saw Etienne pick up 67 and Bhayshul Tuten adding 51 on only four carries.
In the pass game, Parker Washington closed his season with yet another solid performance, hauling in seven catches for 107 yards to lead the game.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Paris Hilton assures fans Britney Spears is ‘doing good’
The Caps are seeking consistency. They’ll try to find it in Nashville.
Maxim Naumov is an Olympian less than a year after his parents’ tragic death
-
Sports7 days agoVAR review: Why was Wirtz onside in Premier League, offside in Europe?
-
Entertainment4 days agoDoes new US food pyramid put too much steak on your plate?
-
Politics4 days agoUK says provided assistance in US-led tanker seizure
-
Entertainment4 days agoWhy did Nick Reiner’s lawyer Alan Jackson withdraw from case?
-
Entertainment7 days agoMinnesota Governor Tim Walz to drop out of 2026 race, official confirmation expected soon
-
Business7 days ago8th Pay Commission: From Policy Review, Cabinet Approval To Implementation –Key Stages Explained
-
Politics7 days agoChina’s birth-rate push sputters as couples stay child-free
-
Business4 days agoTrump moves to ban home purchases by institutional investors