US authorities announced several high-profile arrests on Thursday, including of a star player and a coach in the National Basketball Association (NBA), for alleged illegal sports betting.
Among those in custody are Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat player Terry Rozier, both of whom were reportedly arrested after their teams' games on Wednesday.
The arrests are part of a sweeping investigation into illegal gambling that produced two indictments, the FBI said — one into players who are allegedly faking injuries to influence betting odds, and another involving an illegal poker ring tied to organised crime.
FBI Director Kash Patel described the allegations to reporters as mind-boggling. They include indictments in two major cases, officials said, both involving fraud.
The first case is called operation nothing but bet, in which players and associates allegedly used insider information to manipulate wagers on major sports betting platforms.
In some cases, players altered their performance or took themselves out of games to ensure those bets were paid out, according to New York City police commissioner Jessica Tisch. Those bets amounted to tens of thousands of dollars in profits.
The second case is more complex in nature, involving four of the five major crime families in New York as well as professional athletes, who allegedly participated in a scheme to rig illegal poker games and steal millions of dollars using sophisticated technology.
All in all, authorities say 34 defendants were indicted on charges related to the two fraud cases, including six charged in the first case of players allegedly faking injuries to influence betting odds.
The NBA has stated that it is reviewing the federal indictments and is cooperating with authorities while placing Rozier and Billups on immediate leave from their teams.
The investigation has showcased the deep impacts of gambling on the integrity of professional sports and the persisting influence of organized crime in illegal gambling activities.
