How FBI’s gambling case highlights Mafia’s changing tactics

When U.S. officials unveiled two stunning investigations into illegal sports betting on Thursday, they described the operations as something “reminiscent of a Hollywood movie.”

One of the schemes, which involved NBA figures, specialist contact lenses, marked cards, an

Part of what makes the case so cinematic is the alleged mob involvement. Thanks to decades of cinema, television and books devoted to tales of mafia exploits, the Mafia has developed a mythical place in American culture.

“As Ray Liotta said in Goodfellas: ‘We were treated like muscle-bound movie stars,'” said attorney Edward McDonald, who, as the real-life prosecutor who handled former gangster turned FBI informant Henry Hill, played himself in the iconic film.

But former prosecutors said the Mafia’s influence and activities have changed since its heyday in the 20th century, when blood-soaked tabloid covers announcing Mafia hits, corporate restructurings and blockbuster trials were the norm.

Aggressive prosecutions in the 1980s and 1990s helped break the power of the Mafia in New York and bring down several prominent leaders.

“At the end of the day, the Mafia is not what it used to be,” Mr. McDonald said.

In fact, it has evolved. And the investigation into poker fixing announced Thursday by the FBI gives a fair representation of what such activities will look like in the 2020s, according to former prosecutors.

“These families continued to exist and turned to trafficking that was much more profitable and had much less risk for them, in terms of the years in prison that they could face,” said Drew Rolle, former acting chief of the Eastern District of New York’s Organized Crime and Gang Section.

The Mafia now involves itself in securities fraud, gambling, online sports betting and so-called “boiler room” operations that involve elaborate telephone scams, he added.

In 2022, federal authorities in the Eastern District indicted nine members of the Genovese and Bonnano crime families for racketeering, illegal gambling, money laundering and other crimes.

In December 2024, Carmelo Polito, former captain of the Genovese crime family, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for running an illegal gambling parlor and illegal online gambling system.

Thursday’s indictment added another example to the pile.

Federal law enforcement laid out an elaborate scheme in which the defendants “used sophisticated technology and enlisted current and former NBA players to defraud people out of millions of dollars.”

Three of the so-called Five Families – the Gambinos, the Bonnanos and the Genoveses – were allegedly involved.

“When people refused to pay because they had been duped, these defendants did what organized crime has always done: They resorted to threats, intimidation and violence,” said New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.

As early as 2019, the criminal enterprises operated illegal poker games using various cheating technologies, the indictment states.

The defendants used compromised shuffling machines to rig games, as well as a “chip bin analyzer” that secretly read cards using hidden cameras.

In a detail more reminiscent of Mission Impossible than Miller’s Crossing, players are accused of wearing special contact lenses or glasses that helped them see pre-marked cards.

Former professional NBA athletes were enlisted as “Face Cards” to lure unsuspecting players into joining the game, prosecutors say.

Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and former NBA player Damon Jones were allegedly involved in the plan.

The illegally obtained information was passed to an off-site participant who then passed the details back to a co-conspirator sitting at the poker table, prosecutors allege. Players participating in the program reported each other as the game progressed.

Mr. Billups’ lawyer, Chris Heywood, said in a statement that his client “never bet on basketball games, provided inside information or sacrificed the trust of his team and the League because doing so would tarnish the game to which he has devoted his entire life.”

The NBA announced that it had placed Mr. Billups on “immediate leave” from his coaching position.

“We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness and the integrity of our game remains our top priority,” he said.

Federal authorities also arrested NBA player Terry Rozier of the Miami Heat on charges in a related case. His lawyer, James Trusty, denied the allegations and said his client “is not a gambler, but he is not afraid of a fight and he is eager to win this fight.”

The case is still in its early stages, but the combination of professional basketball intrigue and alleged behind-the-scenes mafia racketeering will likely ensure that the case remains in the public eye for months, if not years, to come.

“Things [the mafia] that we’re focusing on could have changed and not made the headlines and been as violent,” said Mr. Rolle, now a partner at the law firm Alston & Bird.

“But in terms of their ability to influence the industries of the city, some of them still face elements of organized crime in their businesses. And that continues to be a challenge for the residents of this city.”