Chauncey Billups Pleads Not Guilty in Illegal Gambling Case
The Portland Trail Blazers coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges of profiting from rigged poker games, involving mob figures and another former NBA player.
Billups, a five-time All-Star and champion with the Detroit Pistons, was processed in a federal court in New York for conspiracy to launder money and wire fraud, crimes that carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Some of his co-defendants also face charges for running an illegal gambling business and conspiracy to extort.
During the brief appearance on Monday, Billups only answered the judge’s questions with a “yes” or “no”.
In a subsequent bail hearing, the judge released him on a $5 million bail. Billups used his Colorado home as collateral and his daughter Cydney, equipment and player services manager for the Minnesota Timberwolves, signed as a co-debtor.
Both he and his lawyer, Marc Mukasey, declined to comment as they left the courthouse.
Billups is the most prominent name among the more than 30 defendants in a federal operation against illegal gambling linked to professional sports. The other defendants are also expected to appear in Brooklyn court.
Prosecutors say Billups, 49, originally from Denver, involved in a scheme to fix illegal poker games backed by the mafia in Manhattan, Las Vegas, Miami, and the Hamptons.
Former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones was also implicated in the scheme, which, according to prosecutors, used sophisticated technology to rig the bets, such as machines to shuffle altered cards, hidden cameras in the chip trays, special glasses, and even X-ray equipment integrated into the table to read the cards.
Jones was also charged, along with Terry Rozier of the Miami Heat, in a separate scheme that allowed bettors to exploit insider information about players to win bets on NBA games.
Prosecutors say the poker scheme Billups participated in defrauded victims of approximately $7 million since 2019.
According to prosecutors, Billups acted as a “visible face” to attract wealthy and unsuspecting players to the games. During a game, the organizers exchanged messages saying that one of the victims “acted as if he wanted Chauncey to have his money” because he was “impressed”.
Prosecutors say Billups, who earned around $106 million during his playing career, received a share of the illegally obtained profits. After a rigged game in October 2020, for example, he was directly transferred $50,000.
The organizers of the scheme also had to share a portion of their profits with the Gambino, Genovese, and Bonanno mafia families for operating in the illegal poker games run by New York crime enterprises, prosecutors said.
The mafia members, in turn, helped commit violent acts, including assaults, extortion, and robbery, to ensure the payment of debts and the continued success of the operation, they said.
Billups was selected as the third pick in the 1997 draft by the Boston Celtics after excelling in college with the Colorado Buffaloes. He played 17 years in the NBA, with stints with the Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, and Los Angeles Clippers.
But perhaps he is more beloved in the “Motor City”, where he earned the nickname “Mr. Big Shot” for his ability to make clutch shots.
Billups was named Finals MVP during the Pistons’ title run in 2004 and his number 1 jersey was retired by the team.
After retiring in 2014, Billups began a career as a television analyst before turning to coaching.
He was hired as Portland’s coach in 2021 and signed a multi-year contract extension with the Trail Blazers earlier this year, after the team failed to qualify for the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season in 2024. Previously, Billups was an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers.
After his arrest, he was placed on unpaid leave and the Trail Blazers named former NBA player Tiago Splitter as interim coach.
As part of his bail agreement, Billups can travel to certain states, but he had to surrender his passport.
The 31 defendants in the betting cases must appear in court again on March 4 for an update on the status of the case.
United States District Judge Ramón Reyes said he expected to begin the trial in September 2026.
