NBA exposes "major scandal"—six years after opening to sports betting, bitter consequences finally emerge. Yang Hanshen's head coach and a famous star have been arrested.

NBA faces one of the most severe integrity crises in its history. On October 23, according to media reports, U.S. federal prosecutors filed criminal charges against more than 30 individuals on Thursday (October 23 local time), including Yang Hanson's head coach, Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier. This sweeping investigation into the NBA involves illegal gambling, poker game manipulation, and match-fixing. FBI Director Kash Patel announced the charges at a press conference in Brooklyn, labeling the case as the "NBA version of an insider trading scandal." According to the indictment, a nationwide network supported by organized crime families manipulated poker games to lure victims and profited by using insider information provided by NBA players and coaches to fix game outcomes. The NBA immediately issued a statement declaring that Billups and Rozier have been suspended indefinitely. "We take these allegations extremely seriously. Game integrity is always our top priority," the statement said. This is another major blow to the NBA, following Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter's lifetime ban last year for match-fixing. National Gambling Network Operating Model Two indictments released by federal prosecutors reveal a nationwide network backed by organized crime families. The network operated rigged poker games, attracting victims by offering opportunities to play at the same table as former players like Billups. Prosecutors stated that Billups and former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones were referred to as "face cards" in the group, and both knew the poker games were rigged using cheating technologies such as X-ray table scanners and shuffling machines. Some participants in these poker games later got involved in the sports betting conspiracy. Prosecutors claim Billups provided insider information to these gamblers. Before the Trail Blazers’ game against the Chicago Bulls on March 24, 2023, a “Conspirator No. 8,” whose career timeline aligns with Billups (NBA player from 1997 to 2014, coach since 2021), informed the gambling operation that the team planned to “tank”—benching primary players to intentionally lose and improve draft position. Gamblers wagered about $100,000 on Portland’s defeat before the starting lineup was announced and made a substantial profit when the Blazers ultimately lost by a 28-point margin. Players Manipulating Individual Performance for Profit One indictment accuses six defendants, including Rozier, of using insider information and manipulating performance to profit from NBA games. Prosecutors claim Rozier told close associates that he planned to leave early in a game for the Charlotte Hornets in 2023, allowing gamblers to profit from “under” bets related to his performance. Prosecutors said gamblers received insider information from several NBA players and coaches, including Rozier and Jones, and distributed it through a betting network, gaining profits from six additional NBA games up until March 2024. Rozier’s lawyer stated that the NBA investigated Rozier’s behavior in 2023 and determined he did nothing wrong. Attorney Trusty said they remained in communication with prosecutors and were told Rozier was a subject but not a target of the investigation until FBI agents tried to arrest him at a hotel at 6 a.m. on Thursday. Trusty said: "They want to gain distorted glory by making professional athletes walk the prisoner’s route." Integrity Crisis After Legalized Betting This scandal broke just six years after the NBA opened up to the lucrative legal betting industry. The report points out that gambling, once the ultimate taboo in American sports, rapidly became a part of major league business models, delivering endless betting opportunities to the fingertips of most Americans. Now, concerns that athletes and coaches themselves may try to profit from this market by manipulating their own performances have erupted early in the new season. The Jontay Porter case marked the beginning of this crisis. After being banned for life last April, Porter pleaded guilty to criminal charges, admitting to manipulating his scoring by faking injuries in two NBA games in January and March 2024, so as to win “under” bets linked to his personal performance. He told the judge that he joined the scheme to “get out of massive gambling debt.” Prosecutors stated that a group of gamblers had arranged the whole plan via text message, placed heavy bets on Porter underscoring expectations, and several even traveled together to Atlantic City to place bets. According to media reports, the same group of prosecutors is investigating whether some individuals who arranged for Porter to manipulate his performance had insider information, which prompted them to place large bets on Rozier, a veteran NBA player, one year earlier. Risk Warning and Disclaimer The market has risks; investment needs caution. This article does not constitute individual investment advice and does not take into account any user’s special investment objectives, financial situation, or needs. Users should consider whether any opinions, views, or conclusions in this article are suitable for their specific situation. Invest accordingly at your own risk.