Chauncey Billups played in the NBA for 17 years, was a key piece of the Detroit Pistons' 2004 championship run—earning the Finals MVP and the nickname “Mr. Big Shot”—and he is the coach of the Portland Trail Blazers. (Or at least, he still is as of this writing. That's not likely to last long.)

He has now also been arrested along with 33 others by the FBI for being part of a gambling ring that allegedly has ties to the La Cosa Nostra crime family:

Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and former NBA guard and coach Damon Jones were among 34 arrested as part of a widespread FBI investigation on Thursday, Fox News Digital confirmed…

Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and former NBA guard and coach Damon Jones were among 34 arrested as part of a widespread FBI investigation on Thursday, Fox News Digital confirmed.

The investigation was tied to a probe into members of the La Cosa Nostra crime families.

Breaking: Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups has been arrested by the FBI for alleged illegal gambling, sources tell @ShamsCharania.

Get breaking news alerts from Shams through the ESPN app: https://t.co/QEjDpr2WVy pic.twitter.com/FQKCfgV40Q

— ESPN (@espn) October 23, 2025

This doesn’t seem to be a case of players (or ex-players) throwing down a little cash for some casual betting on FanDuel; no, this alleged operation is stunning in its scope:

What to Know:

• FBI Director Kash Patel said the case targets “a wide sweeping criminal enterprise” involving the NBA and La Cosa Nostra.
• More than 30 individuals have been arrested across 11 states.
• Charges include wire fraud, money laundering, extortion, robbery, and illegal gambling.
• The Bonanno, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese crime families are named in the investigation.
• Patel said the fraud spanned years and included crypto-related schemes.
• The case is being prosecuted by the Eastern District of New York.
• NBA players and coaches, including Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier, are among those arrested.

READ MORE: Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker Fights the Oligarchy by… Gambling in Vegas for Millions of Dollars

Former NBA player and coach Damon Jones was charged in an illegal gambling case, per @ABC pic.twitter.com/8izziHOacl

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 23, 2025

Are more arrests coming?

After the arrests of Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier, sources tell @pablofindsout Malik Beasley’s situation isn’t fully over — his fate now depends on a DOJ announcement.

What a CRAZY morning for the NBA pic.twitter.com/xgm3DG4zEo

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 23, 2025

FBI Director Kash Patel said it’s all about following the Benjamins:

"Day in and day out, this FBI is following the money — and today is the result of that outstanding work," FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News Digital in an exclusive statement. "This operation involved an expansive effort across 11 states arresting 34 subjects, including multiple NBA players and coaches, who allegedly took advantage of their own positions of power to rig gambling systems for their own benefit — eventually funneling money to La Cosa Nostra, enriching some of the most notorious criminal networks in the world. That ends today — and the FBI’s efforts to make sure gambling operations of all kinds stay within the law are only beginning. Thank you to the outstanding men and women of the FBI who pursued this case and followed the facts accordingly."

This is some serious, serious stuff, and if Billups, Rozier, et al. get convicted, they could be looking at a very long time behind bars. We’ll update you as developments warrant.

Editor’s Note: The Schumer Shutdown is here. Rather than put the American people first, Chuck Schumer and the radical Democrats forced a government shutdown for healthcare for illegals. They own this.

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