NBA Gambling Scandal: Who Are The Mafia Families Named in Explosive Probe?

Federal investigators have linked multiple New York-based mafia crime families to an alleged illegal gambling operation that has shaken the NBA, leading to the arrests of Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, among others.

According to court filings obtained by The Athletic, prosecutors allege the scheme involved 'rigged poker games' and insider betting activity coordinated with members of several organised crime families in New York City.

These groups, believed to be tied to the Gambino and Genovese networks, allegedly collaborated with current and former NBA figures to profit from poker and sports wagers.

'Face Cards' & Rigged Games: How the Scheme Worked

According to Federal officials, the poker operation relied on so-called 'face cards'—recognisable sports figures such as Billups and former Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach Damon Jones—to attract wealthy participants to exclusive poker events. Those games were allegedly manipulated through hidden devices, including 'x-ray tables' and 'electric poker chip trays.'

'The fraud is mind-boggling,' FBI Director Kash Patel said at a Thursday press briefing in New York. 'But it is not shocking. These relationships between professional sports figures and organised gambling interests go back decades.'

Prosecutors claim the proceeds from these games were funnelled through laundering channels controlled by crime families across New York and New Jersey.

NBA Stars at the Centre: Billups and Rozier Arrested

Billups, 49, appeared in a Portland federal court on Thursday on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. He was released on bond, surrendered his passport, and is due back in the New York court on 24 November. His attorney, Chris Heywood, said his client 'is a man of integrity' who will 'fight these allegations with the same tenacity that marked his 28-year career.'

Rozier, 31, was arrested in Orlando following the Heat's Wednesday night game. Prosecutors accuse him of sharing insider information with a betting ring, allegedly tipping gamblers that he would leave games early to influence prop bets. His agent, Aaron Turner, confirmed Rozier's arrest, saying the player 'plans to fight the charges,' noting he was 'previously cleared by the NBA'.

Who Are the Mafia Families Named in the Probe?

According to prosecutors and documents reviewed by several publications, the illegal gambling and poker operations were allegedly backed by members of four of New York's most powerful organised crime groups — the Gambino, Genovese, Bonanno, and Lucchese crime families.

Investigators believe these families provided protection, laundering channels, and logistical support for the rigged poker ring that involved NBA-linked figures such as Billups and Jones. Federal filings describe the 'cooperation of several mafia crime families in New York City' who shared profits from the manipulated poker games and the broader sports betting scheme.

Sources familiar with the probe told reporters that the Gambino family, one of New York's so-called Five Families, facilitated the flow of cash through shell betting parlours and offshore accounts, while the Genovese network allegedly helped in the recruitment of 'front men' and coordination of gambling events at private clubs in Manhattan and New Jersey. Reports suggest the Bonanno and Lucchese families also played roles in the rigged games.

According to reports, law enforcement officials have not disclosed specific names of individual family members charged, but say that indictments referencing all four groups will be unsealed in New York's Eastern District Court later this month.

The NBA has not yet issued an official statement. According to reports, Commissioner Adam Silver is expected to address the scandal soon. The controversy comes just a year after Toronto's Jontay Porter was banned for betting violations.

As of Friday, both Billups' and Rozier's attorneys had denied their clients committed any wrongdoing.