Pablo Torre Names 40-Year-Old Sports Bettor as Ringmaster in Gambling Scandal That has Rocked the NBA

The NBA was rocked by the arrest of Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups by the FBI. Podcaster Pablo Torre named 40-year-old bettor Shane "Sugar" Hennen as the ringmaster in the gambling scandal.

Hennen was caught as he tried to flee in January. The feds were pursuing a point-shaving case against him and former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter, who pleaded guilty to a game-rigging scandal and was evicted from the league.

The Porter case was a precursor to a wider gambling case investigated by the Bureau. 31 people were arrested, with former NBA player Damon Jones joining Rozier and Billups.

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Hennen faces charges in two separate indictments that involve illegal sports betting and rigged poker games. Prosecutors allege that he played a central role in providing technology and directions to the operation.

Court documents indicate that he used insider information to gain an unfair advantage. Hennen supplied cheating technology, which allowed participants in the rigged games to predict and exploit unsuspecting players.

Rozier was reportedly cleared by the league when the story first surfaced. However, in the FBI's investigation, it is alleged that he told Hennen's group that he would sit out a game due to injury.

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NBA called out by players' union over Terry Rozier's unpaid leave decision

The NBA's players union wasn't pleased with the league's decision to put Terry Rozier on unpaid leave. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the league's decision goes against the terms of the CBA and is planning on challenging it.

“While we are in agreement with the league that upholding the integrity of the game is of the utmost importance, their decision to place Terry on leave without pay is counter to the presumption of innocence and inconsistent with the terms of our Collective Bargaining Agreement. We plan to challenge their decision via the proper channels,” a spokesperson for the players' association told ESPN’s Shams Charania in a statement.

Charania added that Rozier's paychecks will be kept in escrow pending the outcome of the case. According to reports, the Heat guard was due the first installment of his $26.6 million salary.

Edited by Ubong Richard