Kash Patel accuses basketball stars of ‘getting in mattress’ with crime households

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FBI Director Kash Patel warned the "nationwide takedown" of an unlawful playing ring with alleged ties to famed basketball personalities and crime households is "simply the beginning" on Fox Information.

His interview adopted the FBI’s arrest of the Portland Path Blazers’ head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Warmth guard Terry Rozier in reference to federal investigations into the alleged crime ring.

"When you break the regulation, we're coming for you," Patel informed Fox Information host Laura Ingraham.

Patel alleged that widespread fraud dedicated on the "grand stage" of basketball has been happening for "a while."

"It has nothing to do with authorized playing and has every thing to do with these in positions of energy in locations just like the NBA getting in mattress with La Cosa Nostra and committing acts of extortion, fraud, money-laundering and wire fraud and so many different crimes," he mentioned.

NBA LEGEND CHAUNCEY BILLUPS, HEAT’S TERRY ROZIER ARRESTED AS PART OF FBI GAMBLING PROBE

Chauncey Billups and Damon Jones have been arrested as a part of an unlawful poker scheme. (Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Pictures; Invoice Frakes/Sports activities Illustrated by way of Getty Pictures)

"Your successful streak has ended," U.S. Legal professional for the Jap District of New York Joseph Nocella mentioned at a press convention. "Your luck has run out. Violating the regulation is a dropping proposition, and you may guess on that."

Billups and Rozier have been amongst greater than 30 people arrested throughout 11 states as a part of the coordinated operation, which incorporates costs of wire fraud, extortion and unlawful playing. Officers mentioned the fraud, theft and theft complete tens of hundreds of thousands of {dollars}.

HOW CHAUNCEY BILLUPS, DAMON JONES WERE ALLEGEDLY USED TO COERCE VICTIMS INTO ILLEGAL POKER GAMES

"These people acquired in mattress with La Cosa Nostra and 4 of the 5 main crime households in New York Metropolis to create playing empires, to rob individuals of their cash, to extort individuals, to commit acts of wire fraud, to rig video games and poker video games and basketball video games, simply to allow them to make a couple of further bucks," Patel mentioned on "The Ingraham Angle." "That they had the safety of the mafia in New York, round this nation, in order that they may proceed this scheme to fleece harmless victims of tens of hundreds of thousands of {dollars}."

Patel famous the playing ring’s alleged ties to the La Cosa Nostra and Gambino crime households. Members allegedly defrauded hundreds of thousands of victims, laundered proceeds by cryptocurrency and rigged poker video games with dishonest units.

"They actually had scanners on the poker tables, the place they actually had skilled athletes within the NBA stroll off the court docket so their proposition bets might be met," Patel mentioned.

FBI Director Kash Patel at a press convention on October 23, 2025, in New York Metropolis. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Pictures)

The NBA has since put Billups and Rozier on speedy leaves of absence, Fox Information Digital reported.

"Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups are being positioned on speedy go away from their groups, and we'll proceed to cooperate with the related authorities," the league acknowledged. "We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and the integrity of our sport stays our prime precedence."

ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith weighed in on the controversy.

Stephen A. Smith on the "ESPN NBA Countdown" set at Intuit Dome on Oct. 23, 2024, in Inglewood, California. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Pictures)

"… while you've acquired all of those protesters which have been going on the market and individuals who have been protesting towards him and what have you ever, this man is coming. He’s coming, and I’ve been saying it for a very long time. To me, that is the newest nugget of proof that we’re speaking about proper right here. That is to not query the legitimacy of the case," he mentioned.

Patel responded, saying Smith’s remarks may be "the only dumbest factor I've ever heard out of anybody in trendy historical past."

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The FBI director maintained the investigation is much from over and mentioned the cornerstone of his management is "comply with the cash."

"We're going to proceed to work this investigation and people which have been arrested at present to ensure that unlawful playing empires embedded with the La Cosa Nostra are introduced down, whether or not they're within the NBA or wherever else," he mentioned.