The FBI has arrested 34 individuals, including NBA stars Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier, as part of a sweeping investigation into illegal gambling and ties to organized crime. Dubbed Operation Zhen Diagram, the probe targets a widespread gambling ring allegedly linked to La Cosa Nostra, with arrests spanning 34 individuals across 11 states. The investigation involves rigged poker games, manipulation of sports betting statistics, and the use of cryptocurrency to launder illicit proceeds. The operation overlaps with a separate FBI probe into NCAA basketball game-fixing, highlighting the scale of the alleged criminal network. Some legal experts have criticized the handling of Terry Rozier’s arrest, which involved a public perp walk despite claims he was not a target. The arrests have raised questions about the intersection of sports, gambling, and organized crime.
Billups, a Hall of Fame player with the Detroit Pistons, was accused of having ties to the poker games and La Cosa Nostra. Rozier, who did not play during the Miami Heat’s game against the Orlando Magic, was allegedly involved in a scheme to manipulate statistics for profit from prop bets. Former NBA guard and coach Damon Jones was accused of providing insider information to co-conspirators while serving as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers. The FBI’s operation involved an extensive investigation, with a confidential source recording over 3,000 phone calls and meetings with targets, including participation in a rigged poker game. The probe also revealed the use of cheating devices such as rigged shuffling equipment in the poker games.
The FBI emphasized that the investigation’s scope was vast, with the proceeds of the illegal activities allegedly laundered through cryptocurrency to evade detection. The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Joseph Nocella, stated that the operation marked the end of a criminal enterprise that had defrauded victims of millions. The FBI director, Kash Patel, praised the agency’s efforts, stating that following the money had led to the arrests, and that the fight against illegal gambling was far from over. Legal representatives for Rozier, including James Trusty of Ifrah Law PLLC, criticized the handling of the case, alleging that the FBI was more interested in creating a public spectacle than in pursuing genuine evidence of wrongdoing.
The arrests have prompted calls for greater oversight in sports betting and the need for stricter enforcement against criminal activities involving high-profile individuals. The NBA and the teams involved, including the Miami Heat and Portland Trail Blazers, have not yet commented on the matter, though the FBI has reached out to them for statements. The case underscores the challenges law enforcement faces in cracking down on organized crime networks that use sports as a front for illicit activities, while also raising ethical concerns about the role of athletes in such schemes.