Investigative journalist Pablo Torre has reported that several professional athletes — including former NBA legend Kevin Garnett — allegedly took part in private poker games organized by individuals recently charged by the FBI.
Last week, federal agents arrested 34 people accused of operating rigged poker games using high-tech cheating tools, such as X-ray poker tables, manipulated shuffling machines, and glasses designed to read marked cards. According to FBI Director Kash Patel, the multi-year probe uncovered tens of millions of dollars in fraud.
Sources claim NBA personalities like Chauncey Billups, head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, were used to attract players eager to gamble alongside sports celebrities. Billups’ attorneys have denied any wrongdoing.
The indictment also alleged ties to Italian-American crime families, who reportedly enforced debt collection for the underground games.
Garnett Not Indicted
While Garnett wasn’t named in any FBI filings, former NBA player Damon Jones was. Torre’s reporting also mentioned Clippers head coach Ty Lue, who allegedly played in a rigged Las Vegas poker game in 2019. Lue was not indicted.
On the NFL side, Hall of Famer Antonio Gates was accused of participating in a similar Miami poker game, though his representatives flatly denied the report and emphasized that he has not been charged.
Authorities say the poker operation dates back to 2019.
Mob Ties and Sports Betting
The second part of the FBI indictment centers on Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, arrested for allegedly leaking inside information related to a 2023 Hornets game. Investigators claim Rozier withdrew himself early from the match so bettors could profit from $260,000 in prop bets.
The suspicious betting patterns were flagged by legal sportsbooks, leading to a broader investigation. Rozier allegedly shared his game plan with a co-defendant who sold the information to gamblers.
Both Rozier and Billups have been placed on leave without pay while the probe continues. Rozier’s $26.6 million salary is being held in escrow, while Billups is forfeiting his $7 million coaching paycheck pending the case’s outcome.
League Response
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver confirmed the league had already reviewed Rozier’s case last year, noting that he cooperated fully.
“Legal sportsbooks noticed aberrational betting patterns and alerted regulators,” Silver told NBA TV. “While we found insufficient evidence of wrongdoing, we referred the matter to law enforcement.”
Rozier’s attorney maintains his client is not a gambler.
The FBI investigation remains active, with more arrests possible. In a related case, former Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter, who pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy, faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced in December.
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