1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,320 Speaker 1: Good afternoon everyone. My name is Rick Bettel and the 2 00:00:02,320 --> 00:00:04,920 Speaker 1: Special Agent charge for Homeland Security Investigations here in New York. 3 00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:08,960 Speaker 1: This morning, hundreds of special agents and investigators with HSI, 4 00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:13,400 Speaker 1: the FBI, the New York Waterfront Commission, and the NYPD 5 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:17,159 Speaker 1: descended upon the homes of individuals who for years have 6 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:21,120 Speaker 1: operated with the false sense of impunity, a false sense 7 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:26,480 Speaker 1: of instability. In the early hours of today, across nine states, 8 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:29,600 Speaker 1: coast to coast, dozens of defendants were arrested and will 9 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:32,519 Speaker 1: face the consequences of their alleged crimes. This was their 10 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:36,080 Speaker 1: wake up pole. With the alleged involvement of three La 11 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:40,000 Speaker 1: Coast and Nostra crime families, one NBA head coach, a 12 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:44,199 Speaker 1: Hall of Famer no less, and former NBA players. The 13 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:48,440 Speaker 1: years of investigative work that culminated with this morning's operation 14 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:51,960 Speaker 1: seem reminiscent of a Hollywood movie. 15 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:59,400 Speaker 2: Holy crap, this story is nuts. Tony Katz, Tony Katz today, 16 00:00:59,520 --> 00:00:59,920 Speaker 2: good to. 17 00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:00,320 Speaker 3: Be with you. 18 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:04,000 Speaker 2: I'm not even one hundred percent sure, Like how am 19 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:06,200 Speaker 2: I supposed to go over it? Because we don't have 20 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 2: all the angles yet. This story is insane. So it 21 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:19,679 Speaker 2: was the other day we heard that Terry Rozier from 22 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:21,920 Speaker 2: the Miami Heat. I think I'm pronouncing the name right. 23 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:26,400 Speaker 2: He got arrested in an illegal gambling case, we said, 24 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:30,920 Speaker 2: another athlete in gambling. I mean, this happens. Gambling is 25 00:01:30,959 --> 00:01:34,440 Speaker 2: so prevalent, right, It's on your phone right there, it's 26 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:37,479 Speaker 2: the app right there. Gambling amongst people who have money 27 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:41,000 Speaker 2: is certainly prevalent. Gambling in the NBA. You just listen 28 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 2: to the stories of Michael Jordan. It was everywhere all 29 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:48,920 Speaker 2: the time. This isn't new, This isn't surprising. Now, what 30 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 2: were they betting on or were they betting on their 31 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 2: own games? Well, that's completely different subject. That's Pete Rose territory. 32 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:57,400 Speaker 2: There's a whole thing there. But he gets arrested in 33 00:01:57,440 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 2: an illegal gambling case. I didn't know much about it. 34 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:02,279 Speaker 2: I didn't don't really think much about it. I said, Okay, 35 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:08,720 Speaker 2: sports story, I'm moving on. Then there's this where you 36 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:13,280 Speaker 2: have Chauncey Billups, the head coach of the Portland Trailblazers, 37 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 2: charged in this federal probe an alleged illegal poker scheme 38 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:25,359 Speaker 2: tied to organized crime. And that's what the officer in charge, 39 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:28,440 Speaker 2: a specialition in charge there for the FBI was just 40 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 2: discussing thirty one people across the country charged with running 41 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:38,960 Speaker 2: rigged games Manhattan, the Hamptons, and Las Vegas, and as 42 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:43,040 Speaker 2: is being reported, the players were being paid by guys 43 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 2: in the mob and these cartels in card games that 44 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 2: were fixed with technology and card shuffling machines to give 45 00:02:57,080 --> 00:03:02,480 Speaker 2: the house the advantage. Holy crap, is that what I 46 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:03,120 Speaker 2: started with. 47 00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 1: But this wasn't luck, and this wasn't theatrics. This was 48 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:12,840 Speaker 1: an evidence driven, relentless and unified effort among law enforcement 49 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 1: through what we have dubbed Operation Royal Flush. HSI New York, 50 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 1: along with our task force personnel from the Waterfront Commission, 51 00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:26,079 Speaker 1: first uncovered the scheme more than four years ago. Agents 52 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 1: and investigators dedicated countless hours and sleepless nights in identifying 53 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:36,120 Speaker 1: the criminal network, dissecting communications in patterns, and following the 54 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:40,560 Speaker 1: money with precision. We built the case piece by piece, 55 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:44,120 Speaker 1: and what we discovered was a sprawling criminal enterprise that 56 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 1: utilized cutting edge technology and various methods of deception to 57 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 1: dupe unsuspecting gamblers into paying up so that these defendants 58 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:59,440 Speaker 1: could cash out. As alleged, This sophisticated conspiracy cheated victims 59 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:02,400 Speaker 1: out of at least seven million dollars and place the 60 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 1: public and the defendants alike at risk. This case involved 61 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 1: global reach, financial death, and the patience to dismantle complex 62 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:15,280 Speaker 1: financial criminal enterprises from the inside out. When criminal organizations 63 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 1: attempt to launder profits through our country, HSI connects the 64 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:22,679 Speaker 1: dots and shuts it down to anyone who thinks intimidation, fraud, 65 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:26,640 Speaker 1: or violence will shield their profits. Understand this. If you 66 00:04:26,640 --> 00:04:30,160 Speaker 1: are exploiting our communities, expect HSI and all of our 67 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 1: law enforcement partners at your door. 68 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 2: It's crazy. Now we've got some more here, right, So 69 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:42,159 Speaker 2: you have Chauncey Billups, NBA Hall of Famer, a Trailblazers coach. 70 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:47,039 Speaker 2: You've got Terry Rozier, So maybe it is part of 71 00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 2: the same thing. Former Cavaliers star Damon Jones was arrested 72 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 2: in the probe FBI director Cash Brittel talking about numerous 73 00:04:55,680 --> 00:05:00,160 Speaker 2: arrests in illegal sports betting and poker game schemes. So, 74 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:04,560 Speaker 2: going back to March of twenty twenty three, the NBA 75 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:08,240 Speaker 2: was alerted to unusual betting activity related to Terry ro Jiers' 76 00:05:08,279 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 2: performance in games between Charlotte and New Orleans. This according 77 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 2: to an NBA spokesperson. Earlier this year, the league conducted 78 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:22,160 Speaker 2: an investigation did not find a violation of any NBA rules, 79 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:29,880 Speaker 2: which is certainly certainly possible. We are now aware of 80 00:05:29,920 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 2: an investigation by the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern 81 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 2: District of New York related to this matter, and have 82 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:39,839 Speaker 2: been cooperating with that investigation. So this is about him. 83 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:42,360 Speaker 2: Back in a game in twenty twenty three against the 84 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:46,040 Speaker 2: New Orleans Pelicans, he exited the game after playing the 85 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:48,520 Speaker 2: first nine minutes of thirty six seconds didn't return because 86 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:53,719 Speaker 2: of a foot issue. Which was the final game of 87 00:05:53,760 --> 00:05:58,480 Speaker 2: the season for him. Someone on x said that they 88 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:03,640 Speaker 2: had been alerted that Rosier would be exiting early, so 89 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:06,200 Speaker 2: there was a question as to what took place there. 90 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 2: In some of the other investigation in the Portland Trailblazers 91 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 2: head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat Guarteria Roseier have 92 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:17,480 Speaker 2: both been arrested this morning. 93 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:21,120 Speaker 3: Billups at around six am in Portland, Oregon, in Roseier 94 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:24,680 Speaker 3: around six am. I'm told in Orlando, where the Heat 95 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:27,640 Speaker 3: we're playing last night. Rosier has been arrested for his 96 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:34,360 Speaker 3: involvement in alleged sports gambling prop bets and billups. ABC 97 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:37,520 Speaker 3: News is reporting is tied to an illegal poker operation 98 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:41,680 Speaker 3: tied to the mafia. And so you know, the FBI 99 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:46,240 Speaker 3: has been investigating this situation for several months, in Rosier's 100 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:50,960 Speaker 3: case at least two years, and today is making arrests. 101 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:53,560 Speaker 3: There is a press conference that is set by the FBI. 102 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 3: The Eastern District of New York has been leading this investigation. 103 00:06:56,880 --> 00:07:00,600 Speaker 2: I'm and I just planned for you some of that pressure. 104 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:07,160 Speaker 2: This is giant. It's a giant story. And for those 105 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:09,479 Speaker 2: people who think that this is a sports story, it 106 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:14,240 Speaker 2: is not. This is I think we could argue only 107 00:07:14,280 --> 00:07:16,760 Speaker 2: having this little bit of data right now. This is 108 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:20,320 Speaker 2: a story about a couple of things. First, exactly how 109 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:25,040 Speaker 2: much money is being made on the side. Second, how 110 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:27,240 Speaker 2: much do the leagues know about the money being made 111 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:33,800 Speaker 2: on the side. Third, the culture of pro athletics in general, 112 00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 2: which has them in thinking quite possibly, if not probably, 113 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 2: if not accurately stated that they are above the law. 114 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:44,440 Speaker 2: But we should be clear that not every athlete would 115 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:46,960 Speaker 2: act in this way or does act in this way. 116 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 2: And then, most importantly, how much of this is covered 117 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 2: up when you look into these things and see these things. 118 00:07:56,120 --> 00:07:59,000 Speaker 2: All right, this is a nutty thing involving organized crime 119 00:07:59,080 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 2: and everything else. And they're tracking the cards and dear gosh, 120 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:05,840 Speaker 2: you know, no one believes the cod more than the 121 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:08,160 Speaker 2: mark Ooh, I'm gonna play poker with a pro athlete 122 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:11,640 Speaker 2: an NBA coach. I'm on the inside. I'm cool, you're 123 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:16,120 Speaker 2: the sucker. That's what's happening here. But how much of 124 00:08:16,120 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 2: this is kind of. 125 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:19,680 Speaker 3: Known? 126 00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:22,880 Speaker 2: And then you know, wink wink, nudge, nudge, and then 127 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:26,400 Speaker 2: they look the other way. How much of this is 128 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:31,800 Speaker 2: very Harvey Weinstein in that regard? That's the part, that's 129 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:34,480 Speaker 2: the part they can unravel here, not just for the NBA, 130 00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 2: but for all pro sports. Who knows what what's actually 131 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 2: going on? What is condoned even if it's illegal. What 132 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:47,480 Speaker 2: is condoned even if it's against the rules? Rules for 133 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:51,240 Speaker 2: the but not for me. Is that what we're about 134 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:55,960 Speaker 2: to find out? Oh, this is a much bigger story 135 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:59,960 Speaker 2: than just a story of sports. Maybe it goes nowhere, 136 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:03,840 Speaker 2: but I'm gonna cover every bit of it, every bit 137 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:06,760 Speaker 2: of it. I'm Tony Katz. This is Tony Katz today.