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Key NBA Figures Arrested
The involvement of active and former NBA personnel has drawn particular scrutiny, as they allegedly leveraged their celebrity and access to facilitate the schemes. The league has placed implicated individuals on immediate administrative leave and is fully cooperating with federal authorities.
See image number two below.
Defendants appeared in courts in Florida, Oregon, and New York; most released on bonds with restrictions. The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) stressed the presumption of innocence and due process. Prosecutors warn of additional indictments, including college sports ties.
NBA and Broader Implications
The scandal arrives as the NBA tips off its 2025-26 season, amplifying integrity concerns. Commissioner Adam Silver's office reiterated zero tolerance for gambling, building on Porter's ban. Experts like Harvard's Mike McCann warn of "unexpected mafia ties" eroding trust in a betting-saturated ecosystem.
Victims, often affluent outsiders, may pursue civil suits. For the league, this could spur tighter insider protocols and highlight risks from player-coach friendships in a $10B+ industry.g is based on unsealed indictments and official statements as of October 24, 2025. Developments are ongoing.
Related but not newly arrested: Former Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter, banned by the NBA in April 2024 for similar prop-bet manipulation in two 2023-24 games, with ties to some defendants (e.g., co-conspirators Ammar Awawdeh and Shane Hennen).
LeBron James was mentioned in texts but is not accused of wrongdoing and may have been unaware of the scheme.
Portland named assistant coach Tiago Splitter as interim head coach and canceled practices amid the fallout.
The Schemes: Fraud, Manipulation, and Mafia Backing
Sports Betting Manipulation
Defendants exploited friendships with NBA players and coaches to obtain "lock" information—guaranteed edges like impending injuries or resting stars—sold for cash or profit shares. Bets targeted legal sportsbooks and underground bookies, often via "straw" accounts to evade detection.
Key examples:
- Bets on "unders" for player stats (points, assists, rebounds) after insider tips.
- Total manipulated games: 7, spanning teams like Hornets, Lakers, Trail Blazers, Magic, Bucks, Thunder, and Raptors.