The National Basketball Association (NBA) has been engulfed in a gambling scandal and FBI investigation for the past few weeks involving players, coaches, and team staff members. Some notable names have been arrested in relation to the investigation, including: Chauncey Billups, head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers; Terry Rozier, player for the Miami Heat; and Damon Jones, former player and coach.

   The arrests were announced on October 23, and the FBI included plenty of information on the investigation. Spanning across multiple states and involving plenty of agencies, the FBI investigation has been going on for multiple years. Recently, there have been alleged connections to the La Cosa Nostra crime families.

   According to the authorities, Billups, Rozier, and the others are facing charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering. Investigators claim that the group was participating in a nationwide gambling ring that used information from those within the NBA and individual teams to rig bets and other gambling-related events. Their schemes involved cheating devices for poker rigging and laundering funds through cryptocurrency. Those who were attempting to follow the money and uncover the plan found the players and coaches to be using their influence and knowledge to help the crime networks. The NBA said that they are fully cooperating with the federal investigation and responding urgently to the matter because it is a matter of the league’s reputation and honor. The league plans to be harsh with the punishment and enforce strict discipline to get the point across.

   This isn’t the first time a gambling scandal has come up in the league. Just last year, Jontay Porter, who was playing for the Toronto Raptors, received a lifetime ban from the league after he pleaded guilty to the federal charges placed against him for his gambling.