© Tori Lynn Schneider / USA TODAY NETWORK
FBI Director Kash Patel is firing back at ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.
On Thursday, Patel announced the arrests of more than 30 individuals, including current and former NBA players, allegedly involved in an illegal sports gambling ring and a sports rigging operation.
“The charges and the arrests that were taken down across this country range from wire fraud, money laundering, extortion, robbery, illegal gambling.”
“The fraud is mind-boggling… we’re talking about tens of millions of dollars in fraud and theft and robbery across a multi-year investigation.”
After the FBI released its report, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith implied that the Trump administration was targeting the NBA for opposing him politically.
“Trump is coming. He’s coming…Anybody that has seen his reactions from the sports leagues and the positions that people have taken, they are not surprised at what’s going on today…this is just the tip of the iceberg”
“I’m watching a press conference with the director of the FBI. Tell me when we’ve seen that,” he said. “We’ve seen accusations before. We’ve seen athletes get in trouble with the law before. You don’t see the FBI director holding a press conference. It’s not coincidental. It’s not an accident. It’s a statement, and it’s a warning that more is coming.”
“In his eyes, folks tried to throw [Trump] in jail. In his eyes, he’s innocent and ‘they’re trying to put me behind bars. I’m getting everybody.’ He’s not playing.”
NEW: ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith says the NBA game-rigging mafia-linked scandal uncovered by the FBI is President Trump’s revenge, says this is only the beginning.
“Don’t be surprised that the WNBA is next on his list.”
“Because when you’ve got all of these protests that have been… pic.twitter.com/MkoqBStaKi
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 23, 2025
During an interview on FOX News’ The Ingraham Angle, Patel responded to Smith’s accusations by saying it’s the “dumbest thing” he’s ever heard.
“I’m the FBI director. I decide which arrest to conduct and which not to conduct. That may be the single dumbest thing I have ever heard out of anyone in modern history, and I live most of my time in Washington, D.C. It’s right up there with Adam Schiff. We arrest people for crimes.”
🔥 Kash Patel torches @StephenASmith for claiming Trump’s arrests were “revenge” on the NBA’s left-wing activism.
“That may be the single dumbest thing I’ve ever heard in modern history — and I live in D.C. It’s right up there with Adam Schiff.” — @FBIDirectorKash pic.twitter.com/66UFEL9651
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) October 24, 2025