Suspended Portland Path Blazers coach Chauncey Billups appeared at a federal courthouse in New York on Monday for his arraignment within the felony case that accuses him of unlawful playing. The Corridor of Famer pleaded not responsible to prices of wire fraud conspiracy and cash laundering conspiracy that stem from his alleged involvement in rigged poker video games tied to the mafia. The costs carry most punishments of 20 years in jail if convicted.
Billups is one in all 31 defendants within the case and among the many a number of NBA figures arrested on account of the FBI’s investigation into unlawful playing. Authorities additionally took Miami Warmth guard Terry Rozier and former NBA participant Damon Jones into custody final month for his or her alleged crimes. Different defendants have been anticipated to look in court docket on Monday because the court docket discusses subsequent steps within the case.
The accusations in opposition to Billups state that the Path Blazers coach lured high-net value people into rigged poker video games. The video games included rigged shuffle machines, X-ray tables that would learn face-down playing cards and make contact with lenses and eyeglasses used to learn premarked playing cards.
In a separate case, Billups may be tied to sharing inside info with bettors as a coach. Whereas he was not named within the indictment for unlawful sports activities betting, an individual known as “Co-Conspirator 8” matches his description.
Billups’ lawyer beforehand described the previous NBA star as a “man of integrity” and denied the fees.
“To imagine that Chauncey Billups did what the federal authorities is accusing him of is to imagine that he would threat his hall-of-fame legacy, his fame, and his freedom,” lawyer Chris Heywood mentioned. “He wouldn’t jeopardize these issues for something, not to mention a card recreation.
“Moreover, Chauncey Billups has by no means and would by no means gamble on basketball video games, present insider info, or sacrifice the belief of his staff and the League, as it could tarnish the sport he has devoted his whole life to.”
The NBA suspended Billups, and Tiago Splitter continues to function interim coach in his absence.
Damon Jones pleads not responsible
Jones pleaded not responsible on Nov. 6 to 2 prices stemming from his involvement within the playing scandal. The previous participant was launched on $200,000 and prohibited from playing or making contact with organized crime.
Jones faces prices in each circumstances. He’s alleged to have supplied insider info to a co-conspirator, who then positioned wagers on NBA video games, and can also be accused of luring different athletes into the mafia’s rigged poker video games. Jones allegedly took a minimize of the cash from these poker video games as compensation for his function.
Within the sports activities betting case, Jones allegedly despatched a textual content to a co-conspirator on Feb. 9, 2023, wherein he says, “Get an enormous guess on Milwaukee earlier than the knowledge is out! [Player 3] is out tonight.” Notably, LeBron James missed the Los Angeles Lakers‘ recreation in opposition to the Bucks that night time.
Terry Rozier awaits arraignment
Rozier is due in court docket on Dec. 8 for his arraignment. The Warmth guard was arrested in reference to the sports activities betting case — particularly for his involvement within the March 23, 2023 recreation between the Charlotte Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans.
The previous Hornets guard allegedly pulled himself from the sport as a part of a preplanned transfer with the playing ring. He performed simply 10 minutes earlier than leaving the sport with a foot damage. Sportsbooks obtained $200,000 in wagers on prop bets for Rozier’s factors, rebounds and assists. He was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit cash laundering.
Rozier met with the FBI and NBA on a number of events in 2023 when the investigation started. He maintained his innocence all through the probe, and the league carried out its personal investigation in January 2025 however didn’t discover ample proof to fireside or droop him.
