NBA players, 4 others charged in widespread sports betting and money laundering conspiracy

An FBI probe into mafia-linked gambling and sports rigging schemes led to the arrests of Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups on Thursday, according to New York court documents. The NBA says both men have been placed on leave.

Federal prosecutors have charged six individuals — including current and former NBA players and their associates — in a massive wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy involving insider information from professional basketball games.

According to the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, Joseph Nocella Jr, those charged include Marves Fairley (known as “Vez,” “Vezino,” and “Vezino Locks”), Shane Hennen (“Sugar”), Damon Jones (“D Jones,” “Dee Jones”), Deniro Laster (“Niro,” “Payso,” “Peso”), and Terry Rozier (“Scary Terry,” “Chum”). 

The defendants allegedly used confidential information from NBA players and coaches to place fraudulent bets and profit from illegal gambling.

Attorney Nocella announced the charges alongside FBI Director Kash Patel, FBI Assistant Director Christopher G Raia, and NYPD Commissioner Jessica S Tisch. 

The defendants, located across the country, will be arraigned at a later date in the Eastern District of New York.

“As alleged, the defendants turned professional basketball into a criminal betting operation, using private locker room and medical information to enrich themselves and cheat legitimate sportsbooks,” said Attorney Nocella. “Insider betting schemes erode the integrity of American sports, and this Office will continue holding accountable anyone who seeks to corrupt them.”

FBI Director Patel added that the arrests mark the culmination of a “sweeping investigation” into illegal sports betting and money laundering.

“Using private information and positions of power to rig sports gambling outcomes destroys the integrity of the game,” Patel said. “We will continue to follow the money and bring to justice those who exploit the system.”

Details of the alleged scheme

According to the indictment, between December 2022 and March 2024, the defendants misused non-public information about upcoming NBA games — including player injuries, lineup changes, and game performance plans — to place fraudulent wagers and launder the proceeds.

Authorities allege that insider tips came from several NBA players and coaches, including Rozier and Jones, who leaked confidential details to co-conspirators. The defendants then used straw bettors and false representations to place bets through online sportsbooks and physical outlets.

Examples of insider betting:

March 23, 2023 – Charlotte Hornets Game:

Rozier allegedly informed Laster that he planned to leave a game early with a supposed injury. Laster, Fairley, and others placed over $200,000 in bets on Rozier’s “under” stats. When Rozier exited after nine minutes, the bets paid off, earning tens of thousands in profits.

March 24, 2023 – Portland Trail Blazers Game:

Fairley and associates allegedly wagered $1,00,000 against the Blazers after receiving insider information that key players would sit out. When the news became public, betting lines shifted, and the group cashed in big.

April 6, 2023 – Orlando Magic Game:

Fairley allegedly bet $11,000 on the Cavaliers after learning from an inside source that several Magic starters would miss the game. The Cavs won by 24 points, netting the conspirators significant profits.

LeBron’s injury selling 

According to court documents, LeBron James’ confidential injury information was allegedly leaked by his close friend and former Los Angeles Lakers coach Damon Jones as part of a large-scale prop betting scheme.

February 9, 2023 (Lakers vs Bucks):

Jones texted an associate urging them to “bet big on Milwaukee” because a star player (“Player 3”) would be out — information not yet public. The player indeed sat out, and the Lakers lost.

January 15, 2024 (Lakers vs Thunder):

Jones again shared insider injury details — this time about “Player 4,” allegedly saying he’d play limited minutes. Bettor Marves Fairley paid Jones $2,500 via Eric Earnest for the tip and placed large bets against the Lakers. The report turned out false — Player 4 played normally, the Lakers won, and Fairley demanded his money back.

January 26 and March 20, 2024 – Toronto Raptors Games:

Jontay Porter, then an active Raptors player, allegedly informed co-conspirators that he would exit games early with fake injuries, allowing associates Long Phi Pham, Hennen, and Fairley to profit from bets on his underperformance. Porter and Pham have already pleaded guilty in connection with this scheme.

Officials condemn the scandal

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch called the revelations “an offense to every player and fan.”

“Rigging a professional basketball game for personal profit is as immoral as it is illegal,” Tisch said. “Some players even faked injuries to manipulate outcomes. This illegal gambling ring has now been benched for good.”

Potential penalties

Each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison on both the wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy charges if convicted.

The case is being prosecuted by the Business and Securities Fraud Section of the Eastern District of New York, with Assistant US Attorneys Benjamin Weintraub, David Berman, and Kaitlin Farrell leading the case.