A gambling scandal involving Miami Heat point guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups has rocked the sports word. The scandal is now expanding to the NFL, with former LA Chargers tight end Antonio Gates reportedly involved in some capacity.
Sports reporter Pablo Torre, who has been involved in uncovering parts of the scandal as well as the Los Angeles Clippers-Kawhi Leonard Aspiration scandal, reported on Sunday that Gates hosted a rigged poker game in Miami.
"Pro Football Hall-of-Famer and former Chargers tight end Antonio Gates hosted — and played in — an allegedly rigged Miami poker game, sources with direct knowledge tell
[Pablo Torre Finds Out],
that was organized by Curtis Meeks. Meeks was indicted by the federal government Thursday," Torre posted on X.
Former Chargers TE Antonio Gates allegedly hosted rigged poker game
Billups was arrested after the FBI's probe into sports gambling. Dubbed "Operation Royal Flush", the indictment released by the federal government claimed 31 defendants were arrested for various participation in the rigged poker games.
Former NBA player and coach Damon Jones was among the 31 defendants arrested, which included Billups. Gates was not one of the 31 defendants, nor was he named at any point in the original indictment. At the time of writing, no other outlet, nor the government, has confirmed or reported Gates' alleged involvement.
According to the indictment, the defendants allegedly used various technologies to rig the poker games in their favor. Playing poker with a Hall of Famer was allegedly used as a selling point to lure victims to play in high-stake games, per the indictment.
“Using the allure of high-stakes winnings and the promise to play alongside well-known professional athletes, these defendants allegedly defrauded unwitting victims out of tens of millions of dollars and established a financial pipeline to La Cosa Nostra,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia.
This article will continue to be updated as more information becomes available.