Copyright MassLive
NBA officials met with a United States congressional committee on Wednesday following the arrests of Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and Heat guard Terry Rozier in separate gambling scandals last month. Sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania that the meeting was of an informational nature after the committee requested a briefing with the NBA after the arrests of Billups, Rozier and former Cavs player Damon Jones. 34 people were arrested as part of a federal investigation that included accusations of fixed poker games and collusion around sports betting activities. Members of the NBA front office attended the meeting, according to the Athletic but not Commissioner Adam Silver. Lawmakers were also absent amid the federal government shutdown but committee staffers fo the US House f Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee were present along with attorneys for both sides. The meeting comes after a letter was sent to the NBA requesting additional information about the betting scandal, per the Athletic, requesting details on the past instances of fraudulent betting practices, what the NBA plans to do to limit nonpublic information for illegal betting purposes, whether the NBA’s Code of Conduct was thorough enough to prohibit this kind of activity, and what type of regulations are in place to prevent these types of scandals with the NBA and their sports betting partners. Billups and Rozier are set to be arraigned later this month. The duo was suspended indefinitely by the NBA immediately following their arrests.
