Former NBA Finals MVP and ex-Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups is scheduled to return to the ceremonial courtroom at the U.S. Courthouse in Brooklyn on Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET for a status hearing in a sweeping federal gambling investigation.
Billups, 49, pleaded not guilty on Nov. 24, 2025 to charges of money-laundering conspiracy and wire-fraud conspiracy tied to allegedly rigged high-stakes poker games. Each count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Protective order and massive evidence trove
At the November arraignment, Magistrate Judge Ramon E. Reyes imposed a protective order on roughly one terabyte of evidence that includes bank records, surveillance images and other electronic data. Reyes told attorneys he hopes to start trial proceedings in September 2026.
All 31 defendants named in the indictment must attend Wednesday’s hearing, the first since defense teams began reviewing the material compiled by federal prosecutors.
Role alleged for Billups
Investigators say Kentucky resident Robert Stroud, 67, linked to the Gambino crime family, recruited Billups and fellow former NBA player Damon Jones to serve as high-profile “face cards” who enticed wealthy participants to games fixed in New York and Las Vegas. Prosecutors accuse Billups of taking part in at least two games—April 2019 and October 2020—where insiders allegedly used secret signals to cheat opponents out of large sums.
Text messages cited in the indictment suggest Billups and longtime acquaintance Eric “Spook” Earnest, 53, were instructed to purposely drop hands to avoid detection. Investigators also claim Billups shared nonpublic information with Earnest before a March 24, 2023, Bulls-Trail Blazers matchup, enabling a $100,000 wager.
Bail, travel limits and current whereabouts
Billups posted $5 million bond, the highest among the defendants, using a Greenwood Village, Colorado, residence as collateral. Terms of release restrict travel to Colorado, California, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington, D.C., and New York City, and bar international trips.
Since leaving court in November, Billups has remained largely out of public view in Colorado. He resigned to indefinite unpaid leave from the Trail Blazers, sold his Lake Oswego, Oregon, home for $4.275 million and spends time with family and close NBA associates, according to people familiar with his situation.
Legal representation
Billups is represented by attorney Marc Mukasey, who previously handled civil matters for former President Donald Trump. Mukasey has declined comment ahead of Wednesday’s session.
The indictment also names artist Sophie “Pookie” Wei, alleged money-launderer Anthony Schnayderman and other figures tied to organized crime and prior narcotics convictions.
Wednesday’s hearing is expected to focus on discovery issues and scheduling, with no immediate plea changes anticipated. Prosecutors have indicated the complex case could take years to resolve.
Source: ESPN
