Sports
NBA legend Chauncey Billups, Heat’s Terry Rozier arrested as part of FBI gambling probe
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Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and former NBA guard and coach Damon Jones were among the more than two dozen arrested as part of a widespread FBI investigation on Thursday, officials said Thursday.
The federal investigation involved multiple agencies and the NYPD as they targeted the La Cosa Nostra crime families in two separate operations across several states. Officials said Billups, Rozier and Jones face charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
“Day in and day out, this FBI is following the money — and today is the result of that outstanding work,” FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News Digital in an exclusive statement. “This operation involved an expansive effort across 11 states arresting 34 subjects, including multiple NBA players and coaches, who allegedly took advantage of their own positions of power to rig gambling systems for their own benefit — eventually funneling money to La Cosa Nostra, enriching some of the most notorious criminal networks in the world.
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FBI Director Kash Patel testifies in front of the House Judiciary Committee in Washington, D.C., on Sept.17, 2025. (Jack Gruber/USA TODAY via Imagn Images)
“That ends today — and the FBI’s efforts to make sure gambling operations of all kinds stay within the law are only beginning. Thank you to the outstanding men and women of the FBI who pursued this case and followed the facts accordingly.”
Officials detailed their two operations – Zhen Diagram and Nothing But Net – in a press conference in New York.
“Your winning streak has ended. Your luck has run out. Violating the law is a losing proposition and you can bet on that,” U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Joseph Nocella said.
Federal authorities launched an investigation, dubbed Operation Zhen Diagram, into a nationwide gambling ring allegedly involving members of the La Cosa Nostra crime families who allegedly defrauded unwitting victims of millions.
The FBI said that the proceeds of the activity were allegedly laundered by members of the ring and at some points were converted into cryptocurrency to avoid being detected by law enforcement.
The FBI said a confidential source recorded more than 3,000 phone calls and meetings with the targets of its investigation. The source introduced undercover agents to the targets and participated in a rigged poker game.
Officials said the poker games involved cheating devices such as rigged shuffling devices and X-ray tables.
Billups was arrested as part of the illegal poker takedown. Nocella said the alleged schemers targeted victims known as “fish” who lured victims by giving them the chance to play alongside former pro athletes known as “face cards.” He said Billups and Jones were dubbed as a “face card” by the schemers.
Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier (2) drives to the basket against Washington Wizards guard AJ Johnson (5) during the first quarter at Capital One Arena on May 31, 2025. (Reggie Hildred/Imagn Images)
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Nocella said the “fish” didn’t know that the “face cards” were in on the scam.
Nocella said the schemers were given non-public information about who would be sitting out future games or when they would be pulling themselves out early for injuries or illnesses. Jontay Porter, a former Toronto Raptors, received a lifetime ban for the NBA and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud as part of a gambling scheme last year.
“In one instance they got their information by threatening a current player, Porter, because of his preexisting gambling debts,” Nocella said. “Defendants used this information to place hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent bets – mostly in the form of prop bets on individual player performance.
“The defendants relied on a network of straw bettors to place the maximum amount of bets to increase their potential profits. Most of these bets succeeded and the intended losses were in the millions of dollars. The defendants then laundered their illegal winnings in various ways.”
“The indictment details specific examples where the defendants profited from illegal gambling and illegal betting on various NBA games about the performance of players on, among other things, the Charlotte Hornets, the Portland Trail Blazers, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Toronto (Raptors).
New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Rozier faked an injury to leave a March 23, 2023, game between the Charlotte Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans. Rozier was alleged to have told co-defendant Deniro Laster that he would take himself out of the game so Laster can bet on it.
The NBA cooperated with the investigation. Fox News Digital reached out to the league, Heat and Trail Blazers for comment.
Rozier did not play during the Heat’s game on Wednesday night against the Orlando Magic. He was with the Hornets from 2019 to the middle of the 2023-24 season.
Billups was on the sidelines for the Trail Blazers against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He became their head coach before the 2021-22 season after a Hall of Famer career with the Detroit Pistons and other teams. He won an NBA title with the Pistons and was a three-time All-Star.
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups leads his team against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at the United Center on April 4, 2024. (Matt Marton/Imagn Images)
Jones played in the NBA from 1998 to 2009 across 10 different teams. He is linked to a bet during a Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks game.
James Trusty, of Ifrah Law PLLC, released a statement on Rozier’s arrest:
“We have represented Terry Rozier for over a year. A long time ago we reached out to these prosecutors to tell them we should have an open line of communication,” Trusty told Fox News. “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.
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“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. They appear to be taking the word of spectacularly in-credible sources rather than relying on actual evidence of wrongdoing. Terry was cleared by the NBA and these prosecutors revived that non-case. Terry is not a gambler, but he is not afraid of a fight, and he looks forward to winning this fight.”
Fox News’ David Spunt and Ryan Canfield contributed to this report.
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Pakistani climber Samina Baig has successfully skied to the South Pole, marking a historic first achievement for her country. Baig, who was part of an international team arranged by Elite Exped, left Pakistan on December 2 and arrived at Union Glacier on December 6.
She completed the South Pole journey on December 14.
In a post on her Facebook page, Baig described the achievement as one of the most challenging and meaningful experiences of her life.
She highlighted that the ski journey had never been accomplished by any Pakistani before and said it was difficult to put into words.
“From standing on the summit of Mount Everest in 2013 to completing the Seven Summits, from climbing K2 and Nanga Parbat to now reaching the South Pole, this journey has taken me across the highest mountains and most remote places on Earth,” Baig wrote.
“Each step throughout the journey has instilled in me patience, resilience, and the strength of faith.
She conveyed that the journey demanded faith in the vision, maintaining dedication despite doubts, and progressing even when the way appeared unfeasible.
Baig expressed hope that her efforts would inspire others, particularly young women, to pursue their dreams.
Baig also thanked her community for financially supporting the expedition, as well as her family, team members, Nirmal Purja, and Elite Ex for their emotional support and belief in her.
“Carrying the flag of Pakistan and my Ismaili flag across mountains, continents, and polar ice has been the greatest honour of my life.
I remain grateful for every opportunity, every lesson, and every person who walked this path with me,” she said.
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State‘s Tom Izzo is getting a $1 million raise in his five-year contract that automatically renews annually, a boost that makes him the highest-paid coach in the Big Ten with a salary of about $7.2 million.
The school said Friday that its board of trustees had approved the raise as recognition of Izzo’s “Hall of Fame legacy and demonstrates a shared commitment to achieving continued success.”
Izzo, 70, is in his 31st season with the Spartans, who are ranked ninth with an 8-1 record this season. His teams have made eight Final Four appearances and won the 2000 national championship.
The Spartans have made 27 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances after missing in each of Izzo’s first two seasons. He has a 745-303 record without a losing season.
“Coach Izzo is the ultimate Spartan — someone whose work ethic and devotion to our student-athletes, this university and the broader MSU community are unmatched,” Michigan State president Kevin M. Guskiewicz said. “We believe deeply in his ability to uphold our values, develop champions, and continue building one of college basketball’s premier programs.”
Kansas coach Bill Self has a similar contract structure. The school announced a lifetime contract for Self two years ago. His annual salary is more than $10 million. Self, who is in his 21st season with the Jayhawks, has led them to four Final Fours and two championships.
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Mike White, the accomplished football coach who spent time leading programs in both college and the NFL with the Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, has died.
White died in Newport Beach, California, at age 89.
“The Raiders Family is saddened by the passing of Mike White, former head coach of the Silver and Black and a long-time NFL and college coach and mentor,” the Raiders said in a statement. “The prayers of the entire Raider Nation are with MIke’s family at this time.”
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Head coach Mike White of the Oakland Raiders looks on from the sideline as an assistant coach gestures during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Riverfront Stadium Nov. 5, 1995, in Cincinnati. (George Gojkovich/Getty Images)
White spent seven years coaching with the Raiders, two as their head coach from 1995-96. He previously served in a quarterbacks and offensive line coaching role.
White’s coaching career began at the ripe age of 22, when he joined the Cal Golden Bears as a defensive line coach in 1958 after being a four-sport athlete at the school in the 1950s.
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He served in that role for six years before moving on to Stanford as its offensive coordinator and offensive line coach from 1964-71.
University of California, Berkeley, entrance sign on the corner of Oxford Street and Center Street at Berkeley, Calif. (iStock)
White’s time with the Golden Bears wasn’t over, though. He returned to Berkeley to lead them as their head coach from 1972–77.
White finally broke into the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers in 1978, where he served as the team’s offensive line coach for two years.
Then, it was back to college, this time leading the Illinois Fighting Illini from 1980-87 as head coach.
Following his time with the Raiders, White was an offensive assistant with the St. Louis Rams.
White’s coaching career spanned five decades, and he impacted many coaches and players along the way.
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“Mike was special,” Burl Toler Jr., who played for the Golden Bears from 1974-77, said of White. “He treated us like men and with a lot of respect. Mike was a very gifted and smart coach who loved Cal and loved being a coach, and he surrounded himself with a lot of like minds who instilled in us a will to succeed.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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