Patel Comments On Sports Reporters Claim
The reverberations from the FBI’s nationwide takedown of a sprawling illegal gambling ring are still being felt, and according to FBI Director Kash Patel, this is only the beginning. Appearing on Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle, Patel didn’t mince words: “If you break the law, we're coming for you.”
The scope of this operation is staggering. More than 30 arrests across 11 states, tens of millions of dollars allegedly defrauded, and deep, tangled links to La Cosa Nostra, including the infamous Gambino crime family. But what stunned the public even more was the inclusion of two high-profile NBA names: Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier. Both men are now on immediate leave as the league scrambles to contain the fallout.
What separates this case from past scandals isn’t just the scale — it’s the alleged blending of organized crime with professional sports. According to Patel, the ring wasn’t operating in the shadows — it was embedded on the “grand stage” of American basketball, using celebrity status and locker-room access to commit wire fraud, money laundering, extortion, and game manipulation.
“These individuals got in bed with La Cosa Nostra and four of the five major crime families in New York City,” Patel said. “They had the protection of the mafia around this country so they could continue this scheme to fleece innocent victims.”
The details are jaw-dropping. Rigged poker games allegedly used cheating devices and X-ray tables. Athletes were reportedly walking off the court mid-game to trigger prop bets, cashing in on their own manipulated performances. And all of this was allegedly laundered through crypto, avoiding traditional financial trails.
The NBA has responded swiftly — at least on the surface. “We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and the integrity of our game remains our top priority,” the league said in a statement. But integrity is precisely what’s now in question.
U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella didn’t hold back either, declaring at a press conference, “Your winning streak has ended. Your luck has run out.”
Meanwhile, the sports media world added its own drama. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith made vague allusions to the controversy being part of some larger vendetta — perhaps politically or racially motivated — prompting a rare, blunt rebuke from Patel, who called Smith’s commentary “the single dumbest thing I've ever heard out of anyone in modern history.” The message was clear: this isn’t about politics — it’s about crime.
For Patel, the case represents more than just one bust. It’s a starting point for a wider reckoning. He made it clear the bureau is tracing every financial lead and has no intention of stopping with this first wave of arrests.
As Patel put it, “We are going to continue to work this investigation... whether they're in the NBA or anywhere else.” In other words, the net is still widening.
And as the investigation presses on, one thing is certain: the golden veneer of professional sports is facing a tarnish more serious than any referee scandal or locker room feud. This is organized crime, federal indictments, and a full-scale law enforcement assault on corruption that reached the upper echelons of American athletics.