In a twist that feels ripped from a Hollywood script — or perhaps an episode of &#8220;The Kardashians&#8221; — federal prosecutors revealed that Kylie Jenner’s former New York City townhouse <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/10/23/us-news/mobsters-ran-rigged-poker-games-at-kylie-jenners-nyc-pad-while-she-still-owned-it/?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=nypost&amp;utm_source=twitter">served as the backdrop</a> for a mafia-run, high-tech poker operation that bilked victims out of millions while she was the owner.
According to a sweeping federal indictment unsealed this week, the six-story Greenwich Village mansion at 80 Washington Place, once rented by Jenner and rapper Travis Scott, was one of two key sites for an underground gambling ring allegedly tied to four of New York’s notorious mafia families — the Bonanno, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese crime syndicates.
Prosecutors say the townhouse was used to host high-stakes poker nights featuring rigged shuffling devices and X-ray tables that let mobsters and their associates cheat unsuspecting high-rollers. Among those allegedly involved in the scheme, which stretched across the country, were former NBA stars — including Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and former Cleveland Cavaliers player Damon Jones — who acted as “Face Cards,” drawing in the wealthy and the famous to games they never stood a chance of winning.
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The scheme, which began in 2019, wasn’t just about cards. It became a nexus of organized crime, celebrity access, and sports corruption. The operation reportedly imploded in fall 2023, when rival mob factions clashed over who could run games at Jenner’s former residence. Prosecutors say the feud turned violent, with guns drawn and a brutal fight breaking out inside the luxury home.
That home, steps from Washington Square Park and worth around $20 million, is no stranger to publicity. Jenner and Scott rented it during her second pregnancy in 2021, and it was featured in a 2023 episode of &#8220;The Kardashians.&#8221; There’s no evidence that Jenner or Scott had any involvement in, or knowledge of, the criminal activity. While one of America’s most famous reality stars was showcasing her lifestyle to millions, mobsters were allegedly using the same address as a base for a rigged gambling empire.
The poker scandal coincides with another <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nba-player-tipped-off-gamblers-that-hed-leave-game-early-with-supposed-injury-feds-say?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=7&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=NBA+Player+Tipped+Off+Gamblers+That+He%E2%80%99d+Leave+Game+Early+With+%E2%80%98Supposed+Injury%2C%E2%80%99+Feds+Say">bombshell indictment</a> from the Department of Justice involving NBA players accused of insider gambling and game-fixing. Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was arrested for allegedly tipping off bettors that he would fake an early exit from a 2023 game to ensure his “under” bets hit. Prosecutors say the intertwined gambling and poker schemes represent one of the most extensive criminal investigations into corruption in sports and entertainment since sports betting was legalized.
FBI Director Kash Patel <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nba-scandal-erupts-feds-nab-player-coach-in-illegal-gambling-crackdown?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=19&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=NBA+Scandal+Erupts%3A+Feds+Nab+Player%2C+Coach+In+Illegal+Gambling+Crackdown">said</a> the case exposed both “La Cosa Nostra’s continuing reach” and “the corrosive influence of gambling on American sports and culture.”
The same reality empire that turned fame into a global commodity has now, unwittingly, provided the stage for a mafia-run casino of deceit.

Kylie Jenner Celebrates 10 Years of Kylie Cosmetics with Friends & Family

Now There’s A Kardashian Family Twist To Mafia Gambling Ring Involving NBA Stars

Crime

gambling

Kylie Jenner

Mafia

U.S.

The FBI unveils a massive, mafia-tied gambling scheme involving big names in the NBA, the United States strikes another drug boat bringing “poison to our shores,” and sparks fly at the final debate for New York City mayor — but will it sway the race?
It’s Friday, October 24, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">NBA Gambling Ring</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-990669" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Basketball-Betting-Bust-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Basketball-Betting-Bust-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Basketball-Betting-Bust-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Basketball-Betting-Bust-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Basketball-Betting-Bust-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Basketball-Betting-Bust.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: A sprawling NBA gambling scandal was announced on Thursday, resulting in dozens of arrests, including former and current NBA players, coaches, and members of the Italian mafia.
The alleged scheme involved more than 30 people arrested, including Miami Heat point guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, a former player in the Hall of Fame. 
Charges from the investigation included wire fraud, money laundering, extortion, robbery, and illegal gambling. 
“The FBI led a coordinative take down across 11 states to arrest over 30 individuals today responsible for this case, which is very much ongoing,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in a press conference. “We also entered and executed a system of justice against Laca Nora to include the Bonanno Gambino Genevese and Luccese crime families.”
First indictment: The case involves two separate indictments. The first relates to an insider betting scheme. Defendants charged in this scheme allegedly received non-public information, such as when players would be sitting out for injuries or planned absences, and used that to profit from gambling bets. 
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“One example occurred on March 23, 2023, in Charlotte, Terry Rozier, an NBA player now with the Miami Heat, but at the time playing for the Hornets, allegedly let others close to him know that he planned to leave the game early with a supposed injury,” said NYC Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch. “Using that information, members of the group placed more than $200,000 in wagers on his under statistics.&#8221;
Rozier exited the game after just nine minutes. The bets paid out tens of thousands of dollars in profit.
Second indictment: The second indictment relates to mafia-backed fixed poker games, where more than $7 million was cheated. This included new technology, such as an X-ray table that could read cards face down. Current or former NBA players like Billups were used to draw people into rigged games.
“The defendants in this case orchestrated a scheme to use wireless cheating technology to run rigged poker games across the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella. “What the victims, the fish, didn&#8217;t know is that everybody else at the poker game, from the dealer to the players, including the face cards, were in on the scam. Once the game was underway, the defendants fleece the victims out of tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars per game.”
The poker games played in the New York area were backed by at least four of the five mafia families there.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Drug Boat Strikes And Russia Sanctions</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-990667" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Drug-Boat-Dusted-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Drug-Boat-Dusted-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Drug-Boat-Dusted-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Drug-Boat-Dusted-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Drug-Boat-Dusted-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Drug-Boat-Dusted.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: The U.S. military carried out its ninth strike against what it said was a drug boat from a known terrorist entity heading toward the United States. Meanwhile, President Trump has imposed new sanctions on Russia for the first time since he returned to the Oval Office.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Wednesday that the military carried out its eighth and ninth strikes against drug boats. These strikes took place in the Pacific Ocean, a first. Up until now, the strikes have been targeted in the Caribbean, which is a known smuggling corridor for narcotraffickers in Venezuela and Colombia.
Latin American resistance: The Colombian president, Gustavo Petro, called to potentially “get rid” of Trump over his campaign of pressure. Trump has accused Petro of playing a role in the drug trade and has pulled U.S. funding to Colombia.
On Thursday, Trump responded to the Colombian president’s threats, saying that the Latin American leader is a “thug and bad guy” who should “watch it.”
For now, the strikes will continue, Hegseth says.
Sanctions on Russia: The Treasury Department has now announced new sanctions on Russia for the first time in Trump’s second term. The sanctions target Russian oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil, as well as dozens of their subsidiaries.
The sanctions came alongside additional penalties from the European Union, as well as more from the U.K., announced last week. President Trump’s new pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin was a welcome move in Washington and in Europe.
“You have to compel Russia to engage in the peace process,” <a href="https://x.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1981329802754769164">said</a> House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA). “They&#8217;ve shown they cannot be trusted. There&#8217;s a big appetite in Congress to have sanctions like this, and I think it&#8217;s a very important step.”
More important than the sanctions themselves is the message they convey. In its announcement of the sanctions package, the Treasury also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trumps-sanctioning-russian-energy-heres-what-to-know" target="_blank" rel="noopener">threatened</a> secondary sanctions against any entity that does business with Rosneft and Lukoil.
Trump on San Francisco: Trump has reversed course on sending National Guard troops to San Francisco. He said in a Truth Social <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115424560133045127">post</a> on Thursday that “friends of mine who live in the area called last night to ask me not to go forward with the surge in that the Mayor, Daniel Lurie, was making substantial progress.” He said he spoke to Lurie, a moderate Democrat who took office in January, and decided to give him a chance to turn the city around – which means Trump could change his mind in the future if he doesn’t like what he sees in San Francisco.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Mamdani Cracks In Second NYC Debate</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-990665" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Mamdani-Melts-Onstage-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Mamdani-Melts-Onstage-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Mamdani-Melts-Onstage-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Mamdani-Melts-Onstage-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Mamdani-Melts-Onstage-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Mamdani-Melts-Onstage.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: The frontrunner in New York’s mayoral race, Zohran Mamdani, faced a barrage of criticism in the final televised debate on Wednesday, raising questions about whether his performance managed to shake his lead or reinforce doubts about his readiness for the job.
The atmosphere of the race was definitely charged—not just because of the policies on the table, but also because of the direct, unrelenting pressure former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo put on Mamdani.
Polls show that while Mamdani is far and away the favorite to win, some also show he would be in a dead heat with Cuomo if Republican Curtis Sliwa were to drop out of the race.
Many media outlets and analysts said Mamdani looked uncomfortable and hesitant. He also appeared severely rushed. Some of his responses felt like watching a video at double speed.
However, some left-leaning outlets, such as Politico, said Mamdani won. The New York Times said Cuomo hurt him, but probably not enough. But the viral clips from the debate have received brutal responses, painting Mamdani as an unprepared left-wing extremist.
The debate: One of the most damaging moments circulating on social media came when Cuomo directly confronted Mamdani on his inexperience. 
“You have never had a job. You&#8217;ve never accomplished anything. There&#8217;s no reason to believe you have any merit or qualification for eight and a half million lives. You don&#8217;t know how to run a government, you don&#8217;t know how to handle an emergency, and you&#8217;ve literally never proposed a bill on anything that you&#8217;re not talking about,” Cuomo <a href="https://x.com/EYakoby/status/1981146015714726293">ripped</a> into Mamdani.
“In your campaign, you had the worst attendance record in the assembly, and you gave yourselves the highest raise in the United States of America. You went from $110,000 to $140,000, and then you never showed up for work, and you missed 80% of the votes. Shame on you,” he continued.
Cuomo also pinned Mamdani down on the rent freeze policy, labeling it as political blather.
“Zohran is a great actor. He missed his calling. Freeze rent sounds great, yeah, it affects about 25% of the number of housing units in the city of New York. It&#8217;s not a new idea. Bill de Blasio did it. It turned out to be a debacle,” Cuomo <a href="https://x.com/nypost/status/1981152739963945271">said</a>.
Often, Mamdani didn’t help himself. For example, when he suggested that when 911 receives a call, dispatchers should decide whether it’s appropriate to send police, or maybe send mental healthcare providers instead.
“Yet what we have in our city is asking those same police officers who are being asked to respond to shootings, respond to murders, to also respond to these calls. I trust the dispatchers who would be receiving these calls to make the determination as to whether there was any indication of violence. If there is no indication of a threat of violence, then we would set the mental health experts and providers to respond to those same incidents,” <a href="https://x.com/EYakoby/status/1981149365818585538">said</a> Mamdani.
How bad was it?: Polling data is still being analyzed, so it’s really too early to tell. But it’s interesting to note that there are reports that Chinese-owned TikTok appears to be pulling out all the stops for Mamdani now, maybe trying to head off any leaks of support.
The New York Post reported that TikTok’s algorithm has been boosting pro-Mamdani content while suppressing pro-Cuomo clips.

MRN_251024_V1

Morning Brief: FBI Uncovers An NBA-Tied Gambling Ring & Trump Takes Out Another Drug Boat

Andrew Cuomo

Colombia

Donald Trump

Drug Cartels

kash patel

Media

Morning Wire

New York City

Politics

Russia

San Francisco

United States

Zohran Mamdani

Portland Trail Blazers head coach and former Detroit Pistons legendary point guard Chauncey Billups was arrested by the FBI on Thursday morning to face charges related to his alleged role in a “complex fraud scheme to rig, or cheat at, illegal poker games” throughout the United States.
Billups, along with more than 30 other defendants, was charged in connection with the illegal poker scheme that allegedly cheated victims out of millions of dollars. The DOJ tied some of the illegal poker games to New York mafia families, who are also implicated in an indictment unsealed on Thursday.
In April 2019, Billups — along with defendants Eric Earnest, Jaimie Gilet, Robert Stroud, and Sophia Wei — set up a rigged poker game in Las Vegas and proceeded to defraud victims of at least $50,000, according to the <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/media/1416616/dl">indictment</a>. Billups and the other co-defendants allegedly used a card-shuffling machine rigged to read the cards in the deck and then send the information to an off-site operator over interstate wires. The off-site operator then communicated via phone with someone at the table, called the “quarterback,” who was charged with using secret signals to pass that information along to the others who were in on the rigging, the feds allege.
The rigged shuffling machine was provided to Billups and the other co-conspirators in Las Vegas by defendant Robert Stroud, the indictment states. In 2023, Stroud allegedly conspired with other defendants to rob a person at gunpoint to steal a specific model of a rigged shuffling machine that they wanted to use for poker games.
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United States Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nba-scandal-erupts-feds-nab-player-coach-in-illegal-gambling-crackdown?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=NBA+Scandal+Erupts%3A+Feds+Nab+Player%2C+Coach+In+Illegal+Gambling+Crackdown">alleged</a> at a press conference on Thursday morning that Billups was vital to the rigged poker game because victims, known as “fish,” would be lured into the games “by the chance to play alongside former professional athletes, who were known as ‘Face Cards.’” The victims believed they were playing in “straight” illegal poker games, unknowingly sitting down at a table filled with conspirators in a fraud scheme, the indictment alleges.
The cheaters also used technologies, such as hidden cameras and an X-ray table that had the ability to read cards placed face down on the table, Nocella said. The rigged poker games in New York City were often overseen by the Bonanno, Lucchese, Gambino, and Genovese crime families, who took a cut of the proceeds and “used threats and intimidation to assure payment of debts” from the rigged poker games, according to the indictment.
“The defendants laundered their proceeds including through cash exchanges, the use of multiple shell companies, and through cryptocurrency transfers,” Nocella added.
Billups, an NBA champion who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame last year, faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He is expected to make his first court appearance in Portland on Thursday.
The illegal poker scheme indictment was announced alongside another indictment, which alleges that six people, including a current and former NBA player, revealed insider information to gamblers. Billups was not charged in the alleged illegal sports betting scheme, but multiple people were implicated in both indictments, including former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones.

Chauncey Billups

NBA Hall-Of-Famer Chauncey Billups Tied To ‘Complex’ Mafia Poker Scheme. These Are The Allegations.

NBA Hall-Of-Famer Chauncey Billups Tied To 'Complex' Mafia Poker Scheme. These Are The Allegations.

NBA point guard Terry Rozier tipped off gamblers that he would take himself out of a game early in March of 2023 so they could place bets on him to underperform the betting lines, according to a DOJ indictment unsealed on Thursday.
The feds allege that on March 23, 2023, Rozier informed co-defendant Deniro Laster that he would remove himself from a game against the New Orleans Pelicans in the first quarter over a &#8220;supposed injury.&#8221; Laster then sold the information Rozier shared with him to multiple co-conspirators, according to the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/10/23/nyregion/nba-betting-scheme-indictment.html">indictment</a>.
One of the co-conspirators who allegedly paid for the information on Rozier was Marves Fairley, a Mississippi man who sells sports betting tips on social media. Fairley and a person referred to as &#8220;Co-Conspirator 1&#8221; agreed to pay Laster $100,000 from their gambling winnings, the feds allege.
&#8220;Prior to the March 23 game, FAIRLEY, LASTER and Co-Conspirator 1 exchanged text messages confirming that ROZIER planned to exit the game prematurely and confirming their plan to place wagers on ROZIER&#8217;s under (i.e. that ROZIER would underperform relative to the oddsmakers&#8217; betting lines for his individual performance),&#8221; the indictment reads.
Rozier, one of the leading scorers on the Hornets that season, left the game after playing less than 10 minutes and recording just 5 points and two assists.
&#8220;ROZIER&#8217;s early exit from the March 23 game and his related underperformance relative to his season averages for points, assists, and three-pointers resulted in the success of numerous fraudulent wagers placed on ROZIER&#8217;s unders by the defendants and their co-conspirators,&#8221; the indictment continues.
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Rozier&#8217;s alleged involvement in the conspiracy included the NBA player paying for Laster to travel to Philadelphia to collect the payment from Fairley. Laster then drove to Rozier&#8217;s home in Charlotte, where they counted the money that Fairley had paid, according to the indictment.
Rozier, who now plays for the Miami Heat, was previously investigated by the NBA over the March 23 game, but the league ultimately determined that he did nothing wrong. While the NBA concluded its investigation, the DOJ probe continued, until on Thursday, FBI Director Kash Patel announced a massive crackdown on illegal gambling that allegedly implicates four New York mafia families.
“Not only did we crack into the fraud that these perpetrators committed on the grand stage of the NBA, but we also entered and executed a system of justice against La Cosa Nostra, to include the Bonanno, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese crime families,&#8221; Patel said.
Former NBA player and coach <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fbi-nba-insider-leaked-lebron-injury-info-for-betting-scheme?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=FBI%3A+NBA+Insider+Leaked+LeBron+Injury+Info+For+Betting+Scheme">Damon Jones</a> was also charged in the indictment along with Rozier. Jones is accused of selling insider information on players&#8217; medical information, so that gamblers could place massive bets before injury reports were made public.

San Antonio Spurs v Charlotte Hornets

NBA Player Tipped Off Gamblers That He’d Leave Game Early With ‘Supposed Injury,’ Feds Say

NBA Player Told Gamblers That He Would Leave Game Early Over 'Supposed Injury,' Feds Say

Former NBA player and coach Damon Jones is accused of attempting to profit from non-public information regarding LeBron James before a Los Angeles Lakers game in 2023, according to a bombshell indictment unsealed by the Department of Justice on Thursday.
Jones, and other defendants in the case — including NBA player Terry Rozier — face charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The federal investigation into the alleged illegal betting scheme also implicates four New York mafia families. United States Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said during a press conference on Thursday that gambling allegations point to &#8220;one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes since online sports betting became widely legalized in the United States.”
Before the Lakers played the Milwaukee Bucks on February 9, 2023, Jones texted a co-conspirator to place a bet on the Bucks because he knew that the Lakers would be missing a key player, according to the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/10/23/nyregion/nba-betting-scheme-indictment.html">indictment</a>. The indictment referred to the Lakers player only as &#8220;Player 3,&#8221; but given the details provided and James&#8217;s absence from the February 9, 2023, game, it&#8217;s apparent that &#8220;Player 3&#8221; is James.
&#8220;By virtue of his relationship with Player 3, the Lakers and other NBA personnel, the defendant DAMON JONES had access to non-public information, including medical information that had not been released to the public,&#8221; the indictment reads. Jones was a former teammate and coach of James when the NBA star was playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Before the Lakers played the Bucks in 2023, Jones is accused of texting his inside knowledge of non-public medical information to an unnamed co-conspirator, writing, &#8220;Get a big bet on Milwaukee tonight before the information is out! [Player 3] is out tonight. Bet enough so Djones can eat to [sic] now!!!&#8221;
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When Jones allegedly provided that information to the co-conspirator, James had not yet been ruled out on the injury report, but he would later be sidelined due to a lower-body injury, according to the indictment. James <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/lebron-james-ankle-out-vs-bucks">missed</a> the game against the Bucks due to ankle soreness, and the Bucks went on to win.
In another Lakers game a year later, Jones claimed to have learned that &#8220;Player 4&#8221; for the Lakers would likely be limited in his playing time or would not play well because of an injury, the indictment read. Jones was allegedly paid $2,500 by co-defendant Marves Fairley for the information. Fairley then placed a bet worth around $100,000 against the Lakers at a retail sportsbook, according to the indictment.
After Jones had given out the information, the NBA injury report listed &#8220;Player 4&#8221; as &#8220;probable,&#8221; but it was not publicly reported that he would potentially play a limited number of minutes. Anthony Davis was the only player <a href="https://ak-static.cms.nba.com/referee/injury/Injury-Report_2024-01-15_07PM.pdf">listed</a> as &#8220;probable&#8221; on the NBA&#8217;s injury report for January 15, 2024. Davis ended up playing his normal number of minutes and scored 27 points in a Lakers win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, causing Fairley to ask Jones to pay him back. Jones allegedly doubled down, arguing in text messages that the information he received was credible.

LeBron James/Damon Jones

FBI: NBA Insider Leaked LeBron Injury Info For Betting Scheme

betting

LeBron James

The NBA season got off to an exciting start this week, and not just on the court.
On Thursday morning, just two days after the first NBA games tipped off, an NBA player and head coach were among over 30 people arrested as part of an FBI investigation into fraud and illegal gambling that allegedly involved the mafia.
Miami Heat point guard Terry Rozier was arrested at a hotel in Orlando hours after his team lost to the Orlando Magic, ESPN <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/46695228/sources-terry-rozier-arrested-part-gambling-inquiry">reported</a>. Rozier did not play in the game. Shortly after Rozier&#8217;s arrest was reported, ABC News broke the <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/miami-heat-terry-rozier-charged-nba-betting/story?id=126789368">story</a> that Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups had also been taken into custody and charged in an illegal poker operation tied to organized crime. Former Cleveland Cavaliers player and assistant coach Damon Jones was also arrested and charged in connection with both illegal gambling and illegal poker games.
Rozier and Billups are set to be arraigned later on Thursday in the districts where they were arrested — Rozier in Orlando and Billups in Portland, according to the Department of Justice.
The charges stemming from the investigation into over 30 people include wire fraud, money laundering, extortion, robbery, and illegal gambling, according to FBI Director Kash Patel.
&#8220;The FBI led a coordinated takedown across 11 states to arrest over 30 individuals today responsible for this case, which is very much ongoing,&#8221; Patel said. &#8220;Not only did we crack into the fraud that these perpetrators committed on the grand stage of the NBA, but we also entered and executed a system of justice against La Cosa Nostra, to include the Bonanno, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese crime families.&#8221;
United States Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said that the first indictment &#8220;involves six defendants who are alleged to have participated in one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes since online sports betting became widely legalized in the United States.&#8221;
&#8220;This scheme is an insider sports bettor conspiracy that exploited confidential information about National Basketball Association athletes and teams,&#8221; Nocella added.
&#8220;The second indictment involves 31 defendants alleged to have participated in a nationwide scheme to rig illegal poker games. These defendants, which include former professional athletes, used high-tech cheating technology to steal millions of dollars from victims in underground poker games that were secretly fixed. The games in the New York area were backed by the Bonanno, Gambino, and Genovese crime families of La Casa Nostra.&#8221;
The two indictments are separate, but Nocella said that three of the defendants — including former NBA player Damon Jones — are charged in both cases. Rozier was charged in the alleged sports betting scheme, while Billups faces charges related to the illegal poker games.
Nocella said that the sports betting scheme also included former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter, who <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/40534530/jontay-porter-pleads-guilty-case-tied-nba-betting-scandal">pled guilty</a> last year to charges related to illegal gambling. Porter schemed to take himself out of games early so that his prop bets would hit and his co-conspirators would win money. He was banned from the league for life and is awaiting sentencing in December. A prop bet (proposition bet) is a wager on a specific event or stat within a game that doesn’t affect the final score, such as the performance of an individual player.
Defendants charged in the alleged sports betting scheme received non-public information, such as when certain players would be sitting out &#8220;or when they would pull themselves out early for purported injuries or illnesses,&#8221; according to Nocella.
&#8220;They relied on corrupt individuals, including Jones and Rozier,&#8221; the U.S. attorney added. In at least one instance, some of the defendants received non-public information by threatening Porter &#8220;because of his preexisting gambling debts.&#8221;
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver <a href="https://x.com/PatMcAfeeShow/status/1980709453185028115?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1980709453185028115%7Ctwgr%5E3e32d21887074d428fe2fa3eca15635a46bc267f%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnypost.com%2F2025%2F10%2F23%2Fsports%2Fheats-terry-rozier-arrested-in-fbi-sports-gambling-investigation%2F">addressed</a> gambling issues in the league during an appearance on &#8220;The Pat McAfee Show&#8221; on Tuesday, specifically calling out prop betting.
&#8220;We accept betting is legal in roughly 35 states now in the United States. It&#8217;s unlikely to go away,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I think probably there should be more regulation, frankly. &#8230; I think you&#8217;ve got to monitor the amount of promotion, the amount of advertising around it.&#8221;
“We’ve asked some of our partners to pull back some of the prop bets, especially when they’re on two-way players, guys who don’t have the same stake in the competition, where it’s too easy to manipulate something, which seems otherwise small and inconsequential to the overall score,” Silver added.
Rozier, a 10-year NBA veteran, has been investigated over mysterious gambling activity in the past. In March 2023, sportsbooks flagged strange betting activity on Rozier when he played for the Charlotte Hornets. During a game between the Hornets and the New Orleans Pelicans, sportsbooks paused bets on Rozier after a professional gambler placed 30 wagers on the under for Rozier&#8217;s points, rebounds, and assists. Rozier left the game after just 10 minutes due to a foot injury, ESPN reported. Rozier reportedly met with NBA and FBI officials in 2023, but an NBA investigation ultimately determined that he was in the clear.
“The league conducted an investigation and did not find a violation of NBA rules,&#8221; NBA spokesman Mike Bass said earlier this year, according to The New York Post. &#8220;We are now aware of an investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York related to this matter and have been cooperating with that investigation.”
Join us now during our exclusive Deal of the Decade. Get everything for $7 a month. Not as fans. As fighters. Go to <a href="http://dailywire.com/Subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DailyWire.com/Subscribe</a> to join now.
The indictment on the alleged rigged poker games accuses defendants as early as 2019 of using &#8220;wireless cheating technology&#8221; in poker games across the United States. Victims would be lured into the games &#8220;by the chance to play alongside former professional athletes, who were known as &#8216;Face Cards,'&#8221; Nocella said.
&#8220;The so-called Face Cards included the defendant Chauncey Billups, who at the time of the scheme was a former NBA &#8230; and also Damon Jones,&#8221; the U.S. Attorney said.
Billups, a former star point guard and NBA champion with the Detroit Pistons, has been the Trail Blazers&#8217; head coach since 2021. He holds a 117-212 record as the Trail Blazers head coach.
This is a developing story; refresh the page for updates.

Chauncey Billups/Terry Rozier

NBA Scandal Erupts: Feds Nab Player, Coach In Illegal Gambling Crackdown

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LeBron James, the NBA’s self-anointed “King,” has once again traded American values for Communist applause — this time by authoring a fawning op-ed in People’s Daily, the Chinese Communist Party’s flagship propaganda paper.
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James fawned over China’s basketball culture and praised the “friendliness” of his “Chinese friends,” all while the NBA attempts to reopen its lucrative market in the authoritarian state fully, NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/world/asia/lebron-james-china-nba-build-bridges-rcna230007">reported</a>.
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“Basketball is not just a sport. It’s a bridge that connects us,” James wrote, as if quoting directly from the CCP’s global harmony playbook.
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James is the first NBA player ever to publish in People’s Daily — a paper infamous for rubber-stamping CCP talking points and suppressing political dissent.
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Now 40 and entering his record-breaking 23rd NBA season, James did not use the platform to speak about democracy, freedom, or the Uyghur genocide, but to wax poetic about China’s “passion,” “friendliness,” and “impressive basketball atmosphere.” He gushed about how “moved” he is by China’s support and vowed to “give his all” in every game — as if his performance on the court were a debt owed to Beijing.
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This isn’t new behavior for LeBron. Back in 2019, when then-Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey dared to speak up for democracy in Hong Kong, James didn’t stand for freedom — he attacked it. Calling Morey “misinformed,” LeBron <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/14/us/lebron-james-nba-china-intl-hnk-scli">warned</a> about the supposed “ramifications” of exercising free speech. He stated:
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<blockquote>We all talk about this freedom of speech. Yes, we all do have freedom of speech, but at times there are ramifications for the negative that can happen when you&#8217;re not thinking about others, and you&#8217;re only thinking about yourself. I don&#8217;t want to get into a word or sentence feud with Daryl Morey, but I believe he wasn&#8217;t educated on the situation at hand, and he spoke. And so many people could have been harmed, not only financially, but physically, emotionally, spiritually. </blockquote>
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In other words: speak up for liberty, and you might hurt LeBron’s brand deals.
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<div>
James later said Morey’s pro-Hong Kong tweet could have caused harm “financially, physically, emotionally, spiritually.” But the only real harm? A dent in NBA profits from China.
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<div>
LeBron’s lifetime Nike deal is <a href="https://www.gq.com/story/lebron-james-nike-deal-bilion-maverick-carter">reportedly worth</a> $1 billion. His signature shoes? Among the top sellers in China.
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<div>
The NBA has billions at stake in China. In 2019, the league signed a <a href="https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Global/2019/07/29/Tencent-NBA/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">$1.5 billion streaming contract</a> with Chinese tech giant Tencent and has <a href="https://www.isportconnect.com/cctv-agrees-new-deal-with-nba-china/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">business ties</a> to state-run CCTV, which famously <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/08/china-state-tv-suspends-nba-broadcasts-after-morey-hong-kong-tweet.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com">yanked NBA games</a> after the Morey incident.
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Actor James Woods may have said it best during the 2020 NBA playoff protests, when LeBron first threatened to boycott, then backed off. Woods tweeted: “His China handlers didn’t like the optics?”
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
His China handlers didn’t like the optics? <a href="https://t.co/PsbhIXHd9E">https://t.co/PsbhIXHd9E</a>
&mdash; James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealJamesWoods/status/1299356993061179394?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 28, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The NBA is preparing to play its first preseason games in China since 2019.
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When does a basketball player stop being just an athlete and start becoming a mouthpiece for a regime that crushes freedom?
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Apparently, when the checks are big enough.
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NBA Star LeBron James 2025 China Tour In Chengdu

LeBron James Pens Love Letter to China, Waxes Poetic About ‘Impressive Basketball Atmosphere’

China

NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley harshly condemned supporters of men playing in women’s sports, calling them “stupid.”
Barkley made his comments speaking with Dan Dakich on Outkick’s “Don’t @ Me.” Dakich asked about rumors that Nike had funded a so-called &#8220;gender-affirming care&#8221; study.
“Did you see this? I don’t know if you saw this,” Dakich said. “Nike’s been really good to me; Nike would take me on trips, I’d make some money, but they’re helping fund a gender-affirming care study on young boys with the goal is impairing (sic) boys to be able to come down, to participate against women. Have you seen this thing?”
“I have not, but I’m gonna make this very simple for you, Dan. Men should not play sports against women,” Barkley answered. “I’m not gonna get into all the bulls*** that’s going on out here in the world today.”
“You know, it’s interesting; I always sit back and look at stuff. And let me tell you something: I love gay people; I love transgender people. I’m against any form of discrimination, period. &#8230; I love my gay friends; I love my transgender friends. But, I’m not gonna get into all this stuff that’s going around, men should not play sports against women. If anybody thinks that, I think they’re stupid. I support the gay community 100%. I support the transgender community 100%. But I do not, under any circumstances … think that men should play sports against women. If anybody has a problem with that, they’re gonna have to get over it because I’m not gonna change. I just think it’s wrong, period.”
“I’m never gonna think it’s all right for men to play sports against women. I don’t even think that’s controversial,” he continued. “I don’t wanna hear you try to explain it to me. No, no, no, I don’t wanna hear it. I’m not gonna argue with you. Men shouldn’t play sports against women. I’m done. Don’t try to tell me this, or this, or this, period.”
The study supposedly funded by Nike was referred to in a recent New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/20/magazine/trans-athletes-women-college-sports.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">article</a> that mentioned Joanna Harper, a man who identifies as a transgender woman who is also a PhD researcher at Loughborough University in England. The Times stated:
<blockquote>
Harper is currently helping to lead an ambitious study of trans adolescents that measures their results on a 10-step fitness test before they start hormone therapy and then, after they have begun to medically transition, every six months for five years. But, she told me when we talked in February, “the current climate makes the study somewhat uncertain.” I assumed she was referring to the Trump administration’s cuts to National Institutes of Health research grants, but she said money was not a problem: The study is being funded by Nike.
</blockquote>
“I don’t even think anybody knows who they are as a young kid. So I think we have to be very careful because you don’t want to put kids in a disadvantageous situation, because, hey, when you get older, you can make your own decision,” Barkley said. “I think we have to be very careful screwing around with kids because they’re not fully developed as a person.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Gmf-ggwCvtw?si=bM_TCLhJgYylf3CY&amp;start=1706" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>

Charles Barkley

Charles Barkley Dunks On Supporters Of Men In Women’s Sports: ‘They’re Stupid’

Celebrities

Transgender

Women's sports

After Los Angeles Lakers star Lebron James — who has a long-standing history of flopping on the floor to draw unwarranted fouls from the opposition — flopped one time too many in Wednesday’s playoff game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, as a Minnesota combat veteran and former state representative who had both of his legs blown off in Iraq offered a deathless response on X.
“I had less of a reaction when my legs were blown off,” John Kriesel, who now serves as director of veteran services for Anoka County, reacted. Kriesel was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star medal after serving in Iraq; in 2006, he was injured by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) that blew up. He is also the author of the autobiography Still Standing.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I had less of a reaction when my legs were blown off. <a href="https://t.co/2gWk1EtRzH">https://t.co/2gWk1EtRzH</a>
— John Kriesel (@johnkriesel) <a href="https://twitter.com/johnkriesel/status/1917976625112584332?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The Timberwolves won the game 103-96, eliminating the Lakers from the playoffs.
There were multiple hilarious responses to Kriesel’s post, including:
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A player for the Dallas Stars hockey team died on the bench (flatlined for 2 minutes), was resuscitated in the hallway, and asked to go back into the game.<a href="https://t.co/XfSdKgHlo3">https://t.co/XfSdKgHlo3</a>
— Slim Tidings (@drfeedbacker) <a href="https://twitter.com/drfeedbacker/status/1918096265818083701?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Falls can be deadly for elderly men like LeBron. He could break a hip, be hospitalized and contract staphylococcal infection.
— Greg Brown (@the_Greglodon) <a href="https://twitter.com/the_Greglodon/status/1918109860270653733?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
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He is a DIVA &#8211;his name should never be in the same sentence as MJ, Bird or Barkley &#8211;seriously <a href="https://t.co/xBKPVbkSEo">pic.twitter.com/xBKPVbkSEo</a>
— AJH (@UnamedLocation) <a href="https://twitter.com/UnamedLocation/status/1918082924622082507?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“Poor LeBron, all 6’9, 250 pounds of him, ran into Minnesota’s Donte Divincenzo, 6’4, 203 pounds, during Wednesday’s Lakers playoff exit and…couldn’t get up.&#8221;
&#8220;Divincenzo, 47 pounds lighter, had no such problem,” Outkick <a href="https://www.outkick.com/sports/lebron-james-has-hall-fame-worthy-flop-sad-lakers-playoff-exit">mocked</a>. “LeBron was on the ground for more than 20 seconds. Men have been hit by prime Mike Tyson and stayed on the canvas for less time than LeBron sprawled himself out on the hardwood.”
Earlier in the series, James got caught after a flop, taking a surreptitious look, apparently to see if the refs had called a foul.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
LeBron think he slick 🤣 
(h/t bonbaguy23/TT) <a href="https://t.co/10OAMCcEJS">pic.twitter.com/10OAMCcEJS</a>
— Overtime (@overtime) <a href="https://twitter.com/overtime/status/1915127592258310587?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
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“James was hit in the face by Timberwolves forward Julius Randle, 30, in the fourth quarter of Game 2 in Los Angeles&#8217; first-round playoff series, and stayed on the floor for several minutes as referees discussed the call,” People Magazine <a href="https://people.com/lebron-james-caught-flopping-fans-think-lakers-playoff-win-11721511">reported</a>.
In a loss to the Boston Celtics during the regular season, James flopped again. Sports Illustrated wrote that he “may have added a lamentable lowlight to his highlight reel with a brutal flop late in the game.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Don’t ever compare this man to Jordan again <a href="https://t.co/Il9ccLztkt">pic.twitter.com/Il9ccLztkt</a>
— Samantha (@SN1onX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SN1onX/status/1898585868106870808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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There have even been videos featuring James’ legendary flopping habits:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Lebron FLOPS from Level 1 to 100" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N7cZn9bgATE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@instabucketz/video/7337784992405277994" data-video-id="7337784992405277994" data-embed-from="oembed" style="max-width:605px; min-width:325px;">
<section> <a target="_blank" title="@instabucketz" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@instabucketz?refer=embed">@instabucketz</a> 
1 minute of LeBron James flopping 😂 Le🩴 <a title="instabucketz" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/instabucketz?refer=embed">#instabucketz</a> <a title="basketball" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/basketball?refer=embed">#basketball</a> <a title="basketball" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/basketball?refer=embed">#basketball</a> 
 <a target="_blank" title="♬ original sound - Instabucketz" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7337785051411647274?refer=embed">♬ original sound &#8211; Instabucketz</a> </section>
</blockquote>
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Minnesota Timberwolves v Los Angeles Lakers – Game Five

LeBron Flops One Time Too Many, Provoking Deathless Response From Iraq Combat Vet

Iraq

Los Angeles Lakers

Minnesota

Veterans

Canadian fans booed the singing of the U.S. national anthem at NHL and NBA games following President Donald Trump’s threat of putting tariffs on their goods.
In a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0yTsFijc9A">video</a> from Sunday night’s hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, between the Detroit Red Wings and the Canucks, Agasha Mutesasira started singing the words “The land of the free” and some fans at the game began to boo, the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/fans-boo-national-anthem-tariffs-canada-2c7210574c0373348870a94445814407">Associated Press</a> reported. However, by the end of the song, the crowd cheers for the singer’s performance.
It happened after Trump announced increased <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tariffs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tariffs</a> on goods from Canada, China, and Mexico over the lack of sufficient action against human and drug trafficking that has poured into the U.S., as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/canada-mexico-slap-tariffs-on-u-s-after-trump-uses-trade-to-force-border-security">reported</a>.
“I mean, it’s too bad, right? It is what it is,” Red Wings&#8217; Patrick Kane said after <a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-wings-canucks-score-6f872c067c635cb24de06a2da1eccc4d">Detroit’s win</a>. “I guess you can maybe understand it from this side but, seems like it’s a thing that’s going around the league right now.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Amid Trump tariffs, fans in Canada boo U.S. national anthem before Red Wings vs. Canucks game" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/v0yTsFijc9A?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Over the weekend, Canadian fans attending an NBA game between the Toronto Raptors  and the Los Angeles Clippers at Scotiabank Arena had a similar reaction when a 15-year-old female singer started singing “The Star Spangled Banner.&#8221;
In one <a href="https://x.com/william_lou/status/1886151383268626636">clip</a>, fans in the crowd can be heard booing from the second the young singer starts to sing the words, “Oh say can you see…” By the end of the performance, most of the loud booing subsided and the crowd applauded the young singer, as this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SWlZ6hn_SRM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a> showed.
Raptors’ Chris Boucher, a Canadian citizen, was asked about the booing after beating the Clippers and whether he’d ever experienced something like it, the <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/02/02/sports/toronto-raptors-fans-continue-trend-of-booing-us-national-anthem/?utm_campaign=nypost&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social">New York Post </a>noted.
“No, no, no,” Boucher replied. “But have you ever seen us getting taxed like that?”
A Toronto resident, who was at the game, said that while he doesn’t agree with the tariffs, he also thought the booing was the wrong approach, the AP noted.
“I have a bunch of American family, friends that live in the states that are Americans, we travel to America all the time, but I thought chanting, ‘Canada,’ would be a more appropriate stance,” Joseph Chua explained. “Usually I will stand. I’ve always stood during both anthems. I’ve taken my hat off to show respect to the American national anthem, but today we’re feeling a little bitter about things.”
“We were already talking about what businesses are Canadian, specifically, what are American, specifically, what to avoid,” he added. “When I go grocery shopping, I will definitely be trying to avoid American products and groceries.”

Nashville Predators v Dallas Stars

Canadian Fans Boo U.S. National Anthem At Sporting Events

Canada Fans Booing US National Anthem At Sporting Events

Canada

Sports

Tariffs

U.S. National Anthem

Federal prosecutors have launched an investigation into Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier for allegedly manipulating his performance in a 2023 NBA game as part of an illegal gambling conspiracy.
Federal investigators are <a href="https://www.wsj.com/sports/basketball/terry-rozier-illegal-betting-probe-nba-63a7170b">focusing</a> on a March 23, 2023, game that Rozier exited early with a reported foot injury, finishing with five points, four rebounds, two assists, and one steal after playing under 10 minutes, according to The Wall Street Journal. Rozier did not play a game for the rest of the season.
Authorities became suspicious when a known gambling ring placed massive bets on his performance that night, prompting several sports books to stop taking bets on Rozier and a review of betting records.
“In March 2023, the NBA was alerted to unusual betting activity related to Terry Rozier’s performance in a game between Charlotte and New Orleans … and did not find a violation of NBA rules,” NBA spokesman Mike Bass said. 
The league is now cooperating with prosecutors as they investigate Rozier’s possible ties to a gambling scheme involving Jontay Porter, who was banned from the NBA last year after pleading guilty to criminal conspiracy similar to Rozier’s case.
According to <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/terry-rozier-nba-investigation-illegal-gambling-celtics-heat-hornets/">CBS</a>, “An investigation found that Porter relayed confidential information to bettors and agreed to feign an injury or illness to remove himself early in two games to ensure bettors would win wagers on his individual statistics. Porter pleaded guilty to criminal conspiracy last year and is currently awaiting sentencing.”
Rozier, a 10-year veteran with 642 career appearances, joined the Miami Heat after stints with the Boston Celtics and Charlotte Hornets. He has averaged nearly 12 points per game this season while coming off the bench for Miami.
The same suspicious shift that led to sports books dropping wagers on Rozier also raised red flags for federal authorities, who are now examining whether Rozier’s early departure was part of a deliberate plan. Although the NBA’s own review initially concluded that Rozier had not violated league rules, officials have acknowledged that the federal probe may uncover new information tied to alleged collaborators outside the league.
While Porter’s role in an illegal betting operation led him to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/11/us/jontay-porter-guilty-plead-wire-fraud-conspiracy/index.html">plead guilty</a> to wire fraud conspiracy last July, the circumstances surrounding Rozier’s alleged involvement will be scrutinized in the context of his more established NBA career. As the inquiry progresses, league officials and federal prosecutors will continue collaborating in an effort to determine whether any further legal or disciplinary action is warranted.

New York Knicks v Miami Heat

Feds Probe NBA Star’s Alleged Role in Illegal Betting Scheme

Fantasy Sports

The NFL&#8217;s Christmas Day games on Netflix set a record as the most streamed games in NFL history with around 24 million people tuning in for each game, Axios <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/12/26/netflix-nfl-ratings-beyonce" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
The NFL&#8217;s Christmas doubleheader kicked off with the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, which drew 24.1 million viewers, according to Nielsen. A Netflix spokesman told Axios that around one-third of the streaming service&#8217;s global concurrent viewers were watching the game at one point, which made the Chiefs-Steelers game the most-watched concurrent stream of the past four years for Netflix.
Later in the day on Wednesday, the game between the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens had an average audience of 24.3 million viewers. According to Nielsen figures dating back to 2001, the Texans-Ravens game was the most-watched Christmas Day game for the coveted 18-34-year-old demographic. The game&#8217;s viewership peaked at 27 million when Beyonce took the stage to perform at halftime.
Both Christmas Day games drew more viewers than the 2023 AFC wild card matchup between the Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins, which streamed on Peacock. Combined, both NFL Christmas Day games — along with pre-game shows and Beyonce&#8217;s halftime performance — drew in around 65 million people, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-nfl-christmas-b59bd2a3cc1bf94d351d8db6fbe030c8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The successful NFL streams on Netflix came a month after the streaming giant was criticized during the Jake Paul and Mike Tyson fight when many viewers complained about the stream freezing and buffering.
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The NBA, which has scheduled games on Christmas Day for decades, saw a bump in viewership on Wednesday, but its numbers came nowhere close to the NFL&#8217;s. The NBA, which broadcasted its games on ABC and ESPN, averaged around 5 million viewers for its five-game Christmas Day slate. This year&#8217;s Christmas Day NBA games saw an 84% rise in viewership compared to last year.
Following the Los Angeles Lakers win over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night, LeBron James quipped, &#8220;I love the NFL, but Christmas is our day.&#8221;
NFL Media Executive Vice President Hans Schroeder responded to James&#8217; comment, saying, “The numbers speak for themselves and LeBron can have his own view, and I’m sure more people will look at that because of this.&#8221;
&#8220;But, you know, we’re focused on the NFL and we’re thrilled with the results this year with the Christmas on Netflix and we’re excited to continue to build that over the next couple of years,&#8221; Schroeder added.

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NFL Breaks Streaming Record With Christmas Day Games On Netflix

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