The FBI investigations of illegal sports betting and rigged poker games has led to 34 people getting arrested including Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and ex-Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Damon Jones. Amid this, claims have surfaced online that Dallas Mavericks player D'Angelo Russell has been arrested as well.
Notably, these claims, circulating on X, come from unverified accounts. “Dallas Mavericks guard D’Angelo Russell has been arrested by the FBI for alleged illegal gambling, sources tell ESPN," a person wrote on the social media platform.
Was D’Angelo Russell arrested in NBA gambling scandal?
No, Russell was not arrested in the NBA gambling scandal. His name is not among the 34 held for the two schemes the FBI is probing. The post claiming the 29-year-old was arrested indicates that sources told ESPN of the same, but no such report from the publication could be found.
{{/usCountry}}No, Russell was not arrested in the NBA gambling scandal. His name is not among the 34 held for the two schemes the FBI is probing. The post claiming the 29-year-old was arrested indicates that sources told ESPN of the same, but no such report from the publication could be found.
{{/usCountry}}Grok also fact-checked the post, replying, “No, this claim isn't supported by reports. There is a real NBA gambling scandal with FBI arrests on Oct 23, 2025, involving players like Terry Rozier and coach Chauncey Billups, but D’Angelo Russell isn't mentioned as arrested or indicted in official sources like ESPN or FBI updates. The post may be misinformation.”
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Elsewhere the AI chatbot repeated its observation, saying “No, this claim isn't true. Recent FBI arrests in an NBA gambling probe involve Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups, not D'Angelo Russell. No such report from ESPN or other reliable sources. The image looks fabricated.”
Notably, Russell was charged with possession of marijuana in 2019, after he was caught trying to sneak the drug through LaGuardia Airport, hidden in a secret compartment inside a tea can, as per reports from that time.
What to know of the FBI case?
FBI Director Kash Patel and others in law enforcement said the multiple charges involve four of the five leading mafia families and organized crime networks. The government prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin Weintraub, David Berman and Kaitlin Farrell.
If convicted in the wire fraud and conspiracy indictment, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 40 years -- 20 years for wire fraud conspiracy and 20 years for money laundering conspiracy.
(With agency inputs)