By Matija Šerić
Organized crime is like a cat with nine lives — and that’s especially true when it comes to the (American) Mafia. No matter how much the FBI and police try to eradicate it, they never quite succeed. When the federal RICO Act (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) was passed in the 1970s — allowing Mafia bosses to be prosecuted simply for leading criminal organizations — it seemed like the end of the Mafia was near. That seemed even more likely after the 1992 conviction of John Gotti, the leader of New York’s Gambino family, and the 2003 sentencing of Joseph Massino, boss of the Bonanno family. Yet, the Cosa Nostra continued to exist in the United States.
The latest scandal, which erupted on October 23, links the Mafia to corrupt NBA personnel. It marks another major comeback of the American Mafia into the spotlight. FBI Director Kash Patel and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Joseph Nocella Jr. announced indictments that shocked the nation.
Three Corrupt Musketeers of American Basketball
The start of a new and exciting NBA season has been largely overshadowed by the arrests of Hall of Famer, 2004 Finals MVP, and Detroit Pistons champion — now Portland Trail Blazers coach — Chauncey Billups, along with Miami Heat shooter Terry Rozier and former Cleveland Cavaliers player and assistant coach Damon Jones.
They were all charged by the FBI with collaborating with the Cosa Nostra in a scheme for illegal profit-making. The FBI indictment is divided into two illegal operations: rigged poker games and betting fraud. Billups and Rozier were both arrested at work — Billups in Portland the day after a season-opening loss to Minnesota, and Rozier in Orlando after losing to the Magic. The trio denied the charges. Miami captain Bam Adebayo voiced support for his accused teammate, as did the Trail Blazers for their suspended coach. Boston Celtics superstar and NBA Players Association vice president Jaylen Brown commented that players should be better protected from the gambling environment.
The New NBA Season Takes a Back Seat
Instead of talking about the brilliant Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his Oklahoma City Thunder aiming to defend their title, the Warriors led by Steph Curry, the ultra-talented San Antonio Spurs with giant Victor Wembanyama, or the promising Lakers with Luka Dončić and LeBron James, media attention has been hijacked by the link between corrupt NBA figures and the Cosa Nostra. It’s an unfortunate turn of events, but the NBA–Cosa Nostra affair rightly dominates the headlines. It’s an issue that must be addressed because it poses a serious threat to both American society and basketball.
Commentary about the scandal
The First Indictment – Poker Games
In the first indictment, Billups and Jones (among a total of 31 defendants) were accused of helping the Mafia organize rigged poker games, from which mobsters would take a cut of the winnings and pursue debtors. Several New York Mafia families were involved in the illegal gambling scheme. Members and associates of the Gambino, Genovese, and Bonanno families were charged with using sophisticated technology — modified card shufflers, contact lenses, and x-ray tables — to cheat players.
The mobsters allegedly pocketed part of the $7 million they stole from unsuspecting victims drawn into poker games in Las Vegas, Miami, Manhattan, and Long Island. The victims were lured into these rigged games by former professional athletes at those venues. These ex-athletes played games like Texas Hold ’Em, giving the events an appearance of legality and legitimacy. The victims had no idea that everyone around them — the players, the dealers, even the shuffling and chip-counting machines — were part of the con. When defrauded participants refused to pay their debts, Mafia enforcers physically assaulted and intimidated them to collect the money.
The Second Indictment – Betting Fraud
According to the second indictment, Billups, Rozier, and Jones were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering through game-fixing for betting purposes. Prosecutors identified at least seven fixed NBA games between February 2023 and March 2024.
In February 2023, Rozier allegedly informed his associates he would leave a game early due to a fake injury — allowing them to win over $200,000 on bets predicting a poor performance. The Heat guard left the game after just nine minutes, citing a foot injury. Jones was accused of betting on two other games and sharing insider information about player injuries before two Los Angeles Lakers games in 2023 and 2024. The indictment also mentioned an unnamed Oregon resident — identified as Billups — for providing inside information about a Trail Blazers game in March 2023.
The American Mafia Survives in the 21st Century
Although the 1992 arrest of the notorious Gotti — nicknamed “The Teflon Don” for his ability to evade justice (a nod to “Teflon President” Ronald Reagan) — ended the era of media-celebrity mobsters, the age of the Mafia itself did not end. The Five Families of New York — Bonanno, Gambino, Genovese, Lucchese, and Colombo — remain alive and well, as do Mafia organizations in cities like Chicago, Philadelphia, and Detroit.
Former federal prosecutor Mitchell Epner stated that these indictments serve as a reminder that the La Cosa Nostra “is still very real”, and that, like any organization under attack, “the Mafia has adapted.” Due to its deep roots and cultural mystique, the Mafia has become a major part of American popular culture, inspiring numerous iconic films and TV series — most notably The Godfather trilogy, Goodfellas, Donnie Brasco, and The Sopranos.
References:
https://apnews.com/article/sports-betting-mafia-arrests-510390eadbdf108d87a1d0090180759f
https://sports.yahoo.com/article/nightmare-league-gambling-scandal-roils-075939803.html
https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2025/10/23/fbi-nba-sammy-the-bull/
