• Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier hired Jim Trusty, who represented President Trump after the 2022 Mar-a-Lago raid before stepping down citing “irreconcilable differences” in June 2023.
• Trusty defended Trump in the classified documents case and January 6 investigation, both of which later collapsed, and represented him in a defamation suit against CNN that a Florida judge tossed in 2023.
• When Trusty left the classified documents case, he was replaced by Todd Blanche, who now serves as Deputy Attorney General—the No. 2 position at the Department of Justice.

MIAMI (TDR) — Arrested Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier picked a lawyer with some serious connections to the White House and Justice Department as he faces charges in the sprawling NBA gambling scandal that’s rocked professional basketball.

Rozier’s attorney Jim Trusty represented President Donald Trump after the August 2022 FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago in the classified documents case and the January 6 investigations—both cases that ultimately imploded. Trusty also handled Trump’s defamation suit against CNN, which a Florida judge tossed in 2023.

The veteran defense lawyer dropped off those cases in June 2023, citing “irreconcilable differences,” though Trump thanked him publicly at the time and said he’d been up against a “sick” group of people. When Trusty stepped down from the classified documents case, he was replaced by Todd Blanche, who now holds the No. 2 spot at the Department of Justice as Deputy Attorney General.

Rozier arrested in Orlando hotel room

Freedom-Loving Beachwear by Red Beach Nation - Save 10% With Code RVM10

Rozier, 31, was arrested Thursday morning at an Orlando hotel as part of a massive federal investigation that netted 34 defendants across 11 states. The 10-year NBA veteran is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering related to allegations he tipped off associates about when he’d sit out or leave games early with “injuries.”

Federal prosecutors allege Rozier participated in a scheme between December 2022 and March 2024 that involved seven NBA games. The most damning example cited involves a March 23, 2023, contest when Rozier—then playing for the Charlotte Hornets—allegedly told co-conspirators he’d leave the game early with a purported injury. He exited after just nine minutes, and associates placed $200,000 in wagers betting on his underperformance, netting tens of thousands in profit.

Trusty came out swinging immediately after the arrest, blasting prosecutors for what he called a publicity stunt. “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,” Trusty told reporters. “They wanted the misplaced glory of embarrassing a professional athlete with a perp walk.”

Billups caught in separate mafia-linked scheme

The investigation dubbed “Nothing But Net” also ensnared Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and former NBA player Damon Jones in a separate but related case involving rigged underground poker games tied to organized crime families including the Bonanno, Genovese, Gambino and Luchese clans.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE THE DUPREE REPORT

FBI Director Kash Patel and interim US Attorney Joseph Nocella detailed the sweeping multi-year probe at a lengthy news conference Thursday. Prosecutors allege the poker scheme used high-tech cheating equipment including manipulated card-shuffling machines, X-ray tables, and special contact lenses that could read pre-marked cards.

Billups, a Basketball Hall of Famer who won a championship with the Detroit Pistons in 2004, allegedly served as a “face card” to lure high-dollar victims to the rigged games in Manhattan, Las Vegas, Miami and the Hamptons. In one April 2019 Vegas game, orchestrators realized Billups was winning too many hands and had to intervene.

NBA places both on immediate leave

The NBA wasted no time distancing itself from the scandal. “We are in the process of reviewing the federal indictments announced today,” the league said in a statement. “Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups are being placed on immediate leave from their teams, and we will continue to cooperate with the relevant authorities.”

The Heat opened their season Wednesday night in Orlando, but Rozier didn’t play due to what was listed as a coach’s decision. Billups coached the Blazers in their season opener Wednesday before his Thursday morning arrest in Portland.

Trusty maintained his client’s innocence and noted the NBA had previously investigated the same allegations and cleared Rozier of wrongdoing. “Terry was cleared by the NBA and these prosecutors revived that non-case,” Trusty said. “Terry is not a gambler, but he is not afraid of a fight, and he looks forward to winning this fight.”

Investigation expands beyond Rozier

The case also involves former Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter, who was banned from the NBA and pleaded guilty in July 2024 to wire fraud conspiracy. Jones, who played 11 seasons in the NBA including a stint with the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers championship team, allegedly leaked medical information about Los Angeles Lakers stars including LeBron James and Anthony Davis to bettors.

Rozier appeared in federal court Thursday afternoon in Orlando and was released after posting his $6 million house as collateral for bond. He did not enter a plea. Billups appeared in Portland federal court and will be arraigned in Brooklyn at a later date.

The Trail Blazers announced assistant coach Tiago Splitter will serve as interim head coach. Both Rozier and Billups face one count of wire fraud conspiracy and one count of money laundering conspiracy, while Jones faces two counts of each charge for his involvement in both schemes.

Should professional athletes face lifetime bans from their leagues when convicted of gambling-related crimes, or does the punishment depend on whether they bet on their own games versus simply sharing inside information?

Freedom-Loving Beachwear by Red Beach Nation - Save 10% With Code RVM10