'They Probably Had AI Write The Announcement': FBI Claims The 'Toronto Rangers' Are Involved In The NBA Gambling Ring. But That Team Doesn't Exist

The initial headline that sparked a wave of online jokes came from a federal press conference announcing charges in a large-scale NBA gambling investigation. During the public announcement, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Joseph Nocella Jr., misspoke while listing the teams whose players or games were involved in the betting scheme. 

He accidentally referred to the Toronto Raptors as the “Toronto Rangers,” a team name that does not exist in the National Basketball Association. The moment immediately became a viral sensation across social media, with many users creating memes and suggesting that the error indicated either a severe lack of sports knowledge or that the FBI’s announcement had been written by Artificial Intelligence. 

Despite the mistaken name, the Toronto Raptors are actually relevant to the larger gambling investigation. This current case is reportedly linked to the previous scandal involving former Raptors center Jontay Porter, who was banned for life by the NBA for manipulating his own game performance to win bets. This connection explains why the U.S. Attorney was likely prompted to mention the team, even though he used the wrong name.

All Eyes Are On The NBA, And Not For The Right Reasons

The press conference and the charges revealed a deep and concerning connection between the league and illegal betting operations. The investigation led to the arrest of over 30 people, including prominent figures like Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, as well as former NBA player Damon Jones. 

One of the main focuses was on an insider sports betting conspiracy, where defendants, including players, allegedly used confidential information about injuries and early exits to place illegal prop bets. This allowed them to wager successfully on a player’s performance falling under the expected line. This type of scheme highlights the risk to the integrity of the sport with the rise of widespread sports betting.

The other accusation targeted a high-stakes, rigged illegal poker ring that stretched across multiple states and was allegedly tied to organized crime groups. Coach Billups and former player Damon Jones were charged in connection with this operation. The sweeping nature of the federal charges involving game manipulation, wire fraud, and Mafia ties has cast a huge shadow over the professional basketball world.

Misquote Or Not, The Video Was A Funny Moment

While the news was serious, the viral moment of the “Toronto Rangers” misquote provided a temporary distraction for the public. The absurdity of a high-level government official making such a basic sports mistake was instantly turned into a circulating joke.

The humor stemmed from the idea that the FBI, while conducting a detailed and complex investigation, seemingly failed at a very simple fact-check of the teams involved. Social media users ran with the “AI wrote the announcement” joke, seeing it as a perfect symbol of a bureaucracy disconnected from the world it was investigating.

Despite the momentary comedic relief, the slip of the tongue did not change the gravity of the legal situation. The central issue remains the integrity of the NBA and the serious charges of corruption. The incident stands as a powerful example of how a single verbal error in a public setting can capture public attention, though the real story is much more troubling.