Former Card Terry Rozier arrested by FBI on illegal gambling charges

In the spirit of the Halloween season, life just got a whole lot spookier for Scary Terry. Former Louisville star Terry Rozier, now in his 10th season in the NBA, has been arrested and charged in connection with an FBI investigation into illegal gambling on basketball games.

Rozier is accused of sharing information with bettors about rosters and player availability while also allegedly faking an injury early in a game to benefit the illegal gambling ring. According to officials, sportsbooks flagged suspicious betting interest on the former Card’s stats back in 2023 when he was suiting up for the Charlotte Hornets, 30 wagers coming in across 46 minutes from a professional bettor totaling $13,759, all on his unders for points, rebounds and assists. Rozier then left the game less than 10 minutes in with an apparent foot injury.

Not suspicious at all, Terry.

He was arrested Thursday morning at a hotel in Orlando after sitting out of the Miami Heat’s season-opening loss against the Magic on Wednesday.

Rozier was one of several people arrested on gambling charges on Thursday, joined by Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and former NBA player Damon Jones — the latter two caught up in separate illegal poker games, Jones connected to both schemes. The Charlotte Hornets, Los Angeles Lakers, Toronto Raptors and Portland Trail Blazers all came up in the investigation as teams that were bet on, as well.

“Chauncey Billups, Damon Jones and Terry Rozier were taken into custody … as part of an illegal gambling and sports rigging operation that spanned the course of years,” FBI Director Kash Patel announced. “… This is the insider trading saga for the NBA.”

U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said the “first indictment involves six defendants who are alleged to have participated in one of the most brazen sports corruptions schemes since online sports betting became widely legalized in the U.S.,” adding that Rozier and Jones are “corrupt individuals.”

Rozier’s representation disagrees.

“We have represented Terry Rozier for over a year,” his lawyer, Jim Trusty, told CNN. “A long time ago we reached out to these prosecutors to tell them we should have an open line of communication. They characterized Terry as a subject, not a target, but at 6 a.m. this morning they called to tell me FBI agents were trying to arrest him in a hotel. (Authorities) appear to be taking the word of spectacularly in-credible sources rather than relying on actual evidence of wrongdoing.

“Terry was cleared by the NBA and these prosecutors revived that non-case. Terry is not a gambler, but he is not afraid of a fight, and he looks forward to winning this fight.”

As for the illegal poker, those details are even nuttier. Billups and Jones allegedly took part in fixed games that included X-ray machines built into tables to read face-down cards, contact lenses and glasses that read pre-marked cards and secret cameras in card trays.

It’s like something out of a movie.

Details of the rigged poker games that Damon Jones and Chauncey Billups were involved (from the US Attorney press conference):
+ X-ray machines built into tables to read face-down cards
+ Contact lenses/glasses that read pre-marked cards.
+ Secret cameras in card trays

— chad millman (@chadmillman) October 23, 2025

Needless to say, more info to come — but a former Kentucky rival is in big, big trouble.