Julian Dorey Podcast #350

The NBA’s Mafia Gambling Ring Scandal Could Get Way WORSE

Guest: Jeff Nadu | Date: October 30, 2025

Main Theme & Purpose

In this explosive episode, Julian Dorey welcomes back true crime and mafia expert Jeff Nadu to dissect the multi-layered indictments swirling around the NBA’s most shocking gambling and mafia scandal. They break down two overlapping federal cases — the poker cheating ring run by organized crime figures and a coordinated scheme involving NBA insiders leaking information for sports betting, possibly implicating big names like Chauncey Billups. The discussion critically examines how organized crime’s ties to underground gambling, the involvement of NBA coaches/players, and the evolving culture of both the mafia and professional sports could create seismic shifts in public perception and league integrity.

Episode Breakdown

1. Setting the Stage: Why This Scandal Blew Up

• The double punch: Two separate but intertwined indictments — one for underground poker game rigging involving mafia families, and another concerning the leaking of insider info for sports betting, with NBA figures at the center.
• Media frenzy: The case made international headlines due to the involvement of Chauncey Billups (current Blazers head coach) and other NBA associates. Jeff observes the mafia angle, combined with NBA names, made it "twice as salacious."

  “If the NBA guys aren’t in this, this is just another indictment. … But this is now an international story on every news station.” — Jeff Nadu [13:46]

2. Breaking Down the Poker Case

The Mafia's Involvement

• Old vs. new mafia: The mob in New York, especially the Gambino and Genovese families, have long taxed illegal businesses like underground poker games; violent extortion has shifted toward business control and financial “rake” percentages.

  “If you're playing at a game underground in New York, it's 99% sure there's some connection to the mob.” — Jeff Nadu [01:44]

• Media misreporting: Contrary to headlines, NBA legends like Billups have likely never met actual mobsters, instead overlapping through vast, interconnected gambling networks.
• Multiple families per game: Sometimes mafia families share or alternate control in lucrative games across multiple boroughs — debunking the myth of constant mafia turf wars.
• The game runners: Notorious cheaters like Amwar Awadi (“Flappy”) are at the operational center, connecting scams across poker and sports betting.

Cheating and Greed

• Not just a rake: These games were not only illegally raked (substantial cash skimmed off the pot, more than any casino) but actively rigged with altered shuffling machines and social engineering (“face cards,” “quarterbacks” signaling info).

  “The rake in these games is more money than you could ever need. But they took it up a notch and said, not only are we going to take an insane rake, we’re going to cheat.” — Jeff Nadu [12:19]

• Bringing in ‘marks’: Celebrities (NBA stars, other athletes) not only lost money, but sometimes allegedly brought friends to be fleeced.

Notable Players and Cheating

• Allegations against NBA stars:

  • Chauncey Billups and Paul Pierce rumored to be involved in cheating games, using tech-enhanced tricks (shuffling machines, “smart” glasses) — but not mob connections.

    “Paul Pierce. Everybody knows that. … They’ve been scamming games for years.” — Jeff Nadu [06:17]

  • Report: Chauncey “cleaned up” in a 2019 game with Kevin Garnett (who, per sources, left early).

• Poker game atmosphere: Luxury apartments, topless women, security, “fun for anyone — unless you’re being cheated.”

  “These games, anybody would want to play at. …you get escorted up with like a big security guy. Any food you want.” — Jeff Nadu [56:45]

3. The Sports Betting Indictment: NBA’s Dirty Secret

The Insider Info Scheme

• From tanking to prop bets: Coaches and players supplied non-public info that directly affected betting markets (who would or wouldn’t play, “tanking” games for draft position, injuries).

  • Example: Chauncey Billups, as Blazers head coach, gave advanced notice of tanking to “Eric Ernest” (his gambler associate), who funneled it to betting tout Marvis Fairley to beat the sportsbooks.

    “He was giving information that the public was not given as well. So… it was insider trading, essentially.” — Jeff Nadu [20:01]

• Terry Rozier & player props: Rozier allegedly tipped friend DeNiro Laster about a planned “injury exit” (leaving after eight minutes) so massive, irregular bets could slam the “under” on his rebound props.

  “Prop bets… are so much easier to rig because… the person controls whether they get enough rebounds or assists… They were slamming his under rebound prop.” — Jeff Nadu [17:47]

• Damon Jones and LeBron’s circle: Jones, a close friend of LeBron James and assistant with Lakers access, sold info about injuries to LeBron and Anthony Davis for betting, including direct texts like:

  “Get a big bet on Milwaukee tonight before the information is out. Player 3 is out tonight. Bet enough so D. Jones can eat too.” — [77:23–77:23]

Legal and Ethical Fallout

• Clear paper trail: The feds have extensive evidence, including texts, app transactions, and wire transfers. Poor operational security (using unencrypted texts, for example) made arrests “stupidly easy.”
• Why do rich guys cheat?:

  “There’s this thought like, ‘Well these guys make so much money, why do any of this?’ … It’s such a ridiculous point because… most of these people are degenerate gamblers.” — Jeff Nadu [08:40]

4. Who’s Flipping? How the Feds Got Their Case

• Informants in the ring: Discussion of “Sugar” Shane Hennin as a notorious informant, likely “serving the case up on a silver platter.”
• Text and payment records: With direct messages between co-conspirators and intermediary Zelle/wires, the case is largely open-and-shut for prosecutors.
• Legal fine points: Many NBA and gambling figures are named only as “co-conspirators” (not charged — yet). “Shoes may still drop” in future indictments.

5. The Evolution of the Mafia: Violence, ‘No Kill Order,’ and Pop Culture

• The mafia’s modern strategy:

  • Focus now on money-making, business scams, and “big rakes” — not street violence.
  • Violence and murder are way down:

    “There is a no kill order in the mob right now.” — Jeff Nadu [33:47]

  • Any recent high-profile hits (like Frank Cali in 2019) were NOT mafia-sanctioned, but lone nuts.
  • Some newer, younger members in a few families are reportedly bringing back “acts of violence” — but not to historical levels.

• Criminal culture has changed:

  “Nowadays it’s as simple as you could be a stone-cold rat, but if you can make money… they letting you around. Nobody cares.” — Jeff Nadu [65:48]

  • Jeff laments the loss of old mafia values — “nowadays nobody gives a shit if you’re a snitch if you’re profitable.”

• Why Italians stay quiet: The government has a “pariah” focus on the Italian mafia because of pop culture.

  “The Mafia has become a pariah for the government… they have done a great job stamping them out.” — Jeff Nadu [40:06]

6. Sports, Gambling, and The Slippery Slope

• Legalization and regulation:

  “This is the good thing about why we have legalized gambling, because regulators spot this shit... If on tonight’s Monday Night Football game there’s millions of dollars in action, that’s normal. But some random prop— if it’s being slammed irregularly — that gets flagged.” — Jeff Nadu [26:57]

• Ethical gray areas:

  • “Everyone has action. Athletes and coaches… can get in deep.”
  • The problem is exponential in college sports (NIL-era): “If it comes out, it'll be bad.”

• Proposed solution:

  “If you want to eliminate this…stop allowing people to bet on props. …That’s really how you stop it.” — Jeff Nadu [88:48]

7. Fallout for the NBA and Beyond

• Potential legacy destruction: If proven, Chauncey Billups’ Hall of Fame status and career could be wiped out.
• NBA and oversight failure: The NBA cleared Terry Rozier just months ago, despite a federal indictment with extensive evidence now following.

  “He’s really got some explaining to do, because… you should believe in the oversight of the NBA and their backroom people… They have real egg on their face here.” — Jeff Nadu [93:06]

• Legal impact: Expect plea deals, some sentences, but maybe not “football numbers” except for the “violent” defendants (robberies, etc.).
• Culture shift warning:

  “This could be a culture-shifting event.” — Julian Dorey [97:34]

8. Deeper Reflections

• Mental health and gambling: Being “around those characters” can destroy lives; most successful gamblers warn against starting down the road.
• Old-school vs. new-school criminality: Both the mafia and organized sports are evolving — with fewer old values and more young, brash risk-takers (and informants).
• The role of the media: Sensational headlines often corrupt public understanding— the real facts are buried in the indictments:

  “Why let the truth get in the way? …Makes a great story though.” — Jeff Nadu [118:10]

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “If you’re playing at a game underground in New York, it’s 99% sure there’s some connection to the mob.” — Jeff Nadu [01:44]
• “Paul Pierce. Everybody knows that. …They've been scamming games for years.” — Jeff Nadu [06:17]
• “This is the good thing about why we have legalized gambling, because regulators spot this shit.” — Jeff Nadu [26:57]
• “There is a no kill order in the mob right now.” — Jeff Nadu [33:47]
• "He's a stone cold rat, but if you can make money, nobody cares." — Jeff Nadu [65:48]
• “If you want to eliminate this… stop allowing people to bet on props.” — Jeff Nadu [88:48]
• "This could be a culture-shifting event because... you have things where gambling is directly supported and you have 18 and 19 year old kids..." — Julian Dorey [98:34]
• “In the circles that I've gotten to know, like, this is definitely happening.” — Jeff Nadu [31:23]
• “That's why the Gambino crime family... is starting to come back.” — Jeff Nadu [41:58]
• “If you lose, you know, a good amount of money... if you can't pay it back, you get on a fucking payment plan. But to just like, not pay it and be like, fuck you, you know, who might— that’s crazy.” — Jeff Nadu [67:54]
• “I am one of the foremost authorities right now on the mafia in this country. It's that simple.” — Jeff Nadu [133:04]

Key Segment Timestamps

• Mob and Poker Games: [01:44–14:53]
• Cheating & NBA Involvement: [05:00–11:56], [53:02–55:09]
• Sports Betting Ring Details: [15:10–24:00], [73:02–80:00]
• Legal/Indictment Analysis: [20:33–24:25], [23:10–23:32]
• Violent Acts and ‘No Kill Order’: [33:47–41:00]
• Prop Bets and Regulation Debate: [26:57–29:50], [88:05–89:26]
• Damon Jones, LeBron, and More: [73:02–79:07]
• Media Reporting, Public Perception: [115:41–118:10]

Memorable Moments

• Accusations Against NBA Players: Chauncey Billups and Paul Pierce accused by sources of orchestrating “scam games” with high-tech cheating.
• Rigged Shuffling Machine Heist: Robbery described with “text messages, pole camera footage, license plate reader information,” connecting the dots in meticulous federal style.
• Inside the Games: Details of New York’s secret poker dens — “beautiful apartment, everything comped, topless women,” but where pros get fleeced.
• NBA Oversight Gaffe: Adam Silver and league security ex-CIA are being scrutinized for supposedly missing “painfully obvious” cheating now made public.
• Old Mafia vs. Today: Jeff’s take on “no kill” orders and why you can rat if you make money — reflecting a sea change in criminal and street code.

Takeaways

• Two interconnected scandals are shaking both the NBA and underground gambling world, drawing in mafia crews and marquee NBA names in potential game-fixing and cheating.
• Modern organized crime is less about violence; it’s more about creative, high-tech cheating, cash skimming, and leveraging cultural clout.
• NBA integrity is at historic risk — and the ripple effects could shake up policy, player behavior, and how fans view their favorite sport.
• More indictments are likely as informants and paper trails converge — “shoes to drop.”
• Media and public must look past the headlines by reading indictments— the truth is both more mundane and more dangerous than the clickbait.

For full, granular details and context, listen to: Julian Dorey Podcast #350 — The NBA’s Mafia Gambling Ring Scandal Could Get Way WORSE (with Jeff Nadu).