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FBI Director Kash Patel announced Thursday that his agency “dismantled” a massive gambling ring linked to the Sicilian Mafia – an operation that included the arrest of NBA legend Chauncey Billups.
More commonly known as La Cosa Nostra, the mafia crime syndicate originated in the 19th century. This week’s announcement of arrests linked to their activity was expansive: more than 30 total arrests spanning 11 states.
“Today the FBI dismantled a multi-million dollar gambling ring tied to La Cosa Nostra, including current & former NBA players and coaches — as well as an inside scheme to rig sports betting outcomes for profit,” Patel said in a statement.
He added, “Cheating, corruption, and laundering have consequences. We followed the money, and the law caught up.”
During a press conference in Brooklyn, New York, Patel noted that several high-profile individuals had been arrested, including Chauncey Billups (NBA coach and former player), Damon Jones (former NBA star), and Terry Rozier (current NBA player for the Miami Heat).
“What you don’t know is that this is an illegal gambling operation and sports rigging operation that spanned the course of years,” Patel told the press.
He continued, “The FBI led a coordinated takedown across 11 states to arrest over 30 individuals today responsible for this case, which is very much ongoing. Not only did we crack into the fraud that these perpetrators committed on the grand stage of the NBA, but we also entered and executed a system of justice against the Cosa Nostra.”
Director Patel said that the charges related to these arrests include money laundering, extortion, wire fraud, robbery, and illegal gambling.
“This FBI will leave no room for any perpetrator of crime in this country,” he stated. “You hear a lot about our work defending the homeland and crushing violent crime. Well, this work is also representative of a colossal portion of the FBI’s mandate to keep America safe and to keep our entertainment industry fair and secure.”
