Chauncey Billups Enters Not-Guilty Plea in Alleged Rigged Poker Scheme
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Brooklyn, N.Y. — Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups pleaded not guilty on Monday to federal charges linked to an underground poker operation that prosecutors say defrauded players of millions of dollars.
Billups, 47, appeared in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York alongside more than 30 co-defendants. He faces counts of wire fraud and money laundering stemming from a probe that authorities contend reached into multiple New York crime families.
According to charging documents, organizers lured wealthy individuals to what were billed as exclusive, legal poker games. High-profile figures, including Billups, were allegedly used to add legitimacy and attract participants.
Investigators claim the games were rigged through a variety of methods, such as X-ray tables, marked cards, hidden cameras, fixed deck shufflers and specialized contact lenses. Prosecutors allege the scheme siphoned off large sums from players who believed they were competing fairly.
The Trail Blazers placed Billups on administrative leave shortly after his arrest last month. Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, also charged in the case, received the same status from his team.
Billups was in his fifth season guiding Portland when the investigation became public. U.S. District Judge set a tentative trial start date for September 2026, indicating the case could hover over the league for several more seasons.
Source: Hoops Wire
