Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was arrested Thursday morning as part of a sweeping federal probe into illegal sports betting and Mafia-backed poker games. According to the 10-year NBA veteran’s lawyer, he had been aware of the investigation for over a year and cooperated with officials during that time.
Why It Matters
The arrests mark one of the most significant gambling scandals to hit the NBA in the era of legalized sports betting, raising concerns about player integrity and league oversight. Officials allege Rozier told a group that he was going to leave the March 23, 2023, game early. At the time he was playing for the Hornets.
“This is the insider trading scandal for the N.B.A.,” FBI Director Kash Patel said during a press conference in Brooklyn, where prosecutors unsealed indictments against more than 30 individuals, including current and former NBA figures and Mafia associates.
Miami Heat’s Terry Rozier Arrested for Alleged Gambling: What We Know
Rozier’s information allegedly helped the group place more than $200,000 in wagers on his performance, which was significantly worse than previous games. Prosecutors say that the bets paid off, generating tens of thousands of dollars in profit.
Authorities say Rozier met with both NBA and FBI investigators multiple times throughout 2023, and that he was cleared of league rule violations at the time. But the federal probe, which began four years ago, gathered momentum and culminated in Thursday’s arrests.
Prosecutors say Rozier and others used confidential data such as lineup decisions and player injuries to set up fraudulent bets that were often placed by straw bettors. “Most of the allegedly fraudulent bets were successful,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said, according to The New York Times source.
Rozier, 31, was arrested in Orlando just hours after his team’s season opener. Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and former NBA player Damon Jones were also arrested in the twin federal investigations.
Jim Trusty, Rozier’s lawyer, criticized the arrest and said his client was never the focus of the investigation during its early stages.
“We have represented Terry Rozier for over a year,” Trusty told The New York Times. “A long time ago we reached out to these prosecutors to tell them we should have an open line of communication. 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.”
How Many Individuals Have Been Charged?
More than 30 people across 11 states have been arrested on charges that include wire fraud, money laundering, extortion, robbery and illegal gambling. Patel called the fraud “mind-boggling.”
Which Rozier Game is Under Scrutiny?
Rozier’s performance in a March 23, 2023, game against the Pelicans is under scrutiny. He left the game minutes into it because of a sore foot. He scored only five points before leaving the game.
What is La Cosa Nostra and How is it Related?
La Cosa Nostra is an umbrella term for the Italian mafia and the organization is accused of being involved in organizing and profiting from high-stakes poker games. The investigation into the poker games overlapped with a separate investigation into Rozier and other basketball players, who are accused of manipulating the outcome of games.
Eventually the money from those rigged games funneled to La Cosa Nostra, according to Patel.
What They’re Saying
Representative Paul Tonko, a New York Democrat, said in a statement: “Scandals like this are an inevitable consequence of the unchecked explosion of the sports betting industry. That’s why we need to pass my SAFE Bet Act – to address public health, protect competitive integrity, and give sports back to the American people.”
Jim Trusty, in a statement to the New York Times: “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.”
What Happens Next
Rozier is expected to make his first court appearance later Thursday in Florida. Aaron Turner, Rozier’s agent, said that he plans to fight the charges.
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