In brief
Chauncey Billups, head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers and NBA Hall of Famer, is scheduled for an arraignment in Brooklyn federal court following allegations of his involvement in rigged poker games alongside organized crime figures. Defense claims his integrity is intact and the charges undermine his Hall of Fame legacy. The scheme allegedly defrauded victims of around $7 million since 2019.
NEW YORK (AP) — Portland Trail Blazers coach and basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups is set to appear in a New York court to face charges he profited from rigged poker games involving several Mafia figures and at least one other former NBA player. The five-time All-Star, who won a championship with the Detroit Pistons, will be arraigned in Brooklyn federal court Monday on money laundering and wire fraud conspiracy charges. Chris Heywood, his attorney, has described Billups as a “man of integrity” and firmly denies the charges. “To believe that Chauncey Billups did what the federal government is accusing him of is to believe that he would risk his Hall of Fame legacy, his reputation, and his freedom. He would not jeopardize those things for anything, let alone a card game,” he stated after Billups had appeared in a federal court in Portland when the indictment was first announced on Oct. 23. Billups was among more than 30 individuals charged in last month’s extensive federal crackdown on illegal gambling operations linked to professional sports, with other defendants also expected to appear in court for Monday's proceedings. Prosecutors claim the 49-year-old Denver native was involved in a scheme to rig Mafia-backed illegal poker games that occurred in Manhattan, Las Vegas, Miami, and the Hamptons, defrauding victims of an estimated $7 million dating back to at least 2019.They allege that Billups acted as a celebrity “face card,” drawing wealthy and unsuspecting players into these games, receiving a portion of the proceeds. For instance, after one rigged game in October 2020, records indicate he was wired $50,000. The organized crime element purportedly involved shared profits with the Gambino, Genovese, and Bonanno families, who facilitated the operations under threat of violence to ensure repayment of debts. Known for his clutch performance and rich career, Billups was named NBA Finals MVP during the Pistons’ 2004 title run. After retiring in 2014, he transitioned to sports analysis and coaching, being hired by the Trail Blazers in 2021. Following his arrest, he was placed on unpaid leave, with assistant coach Tiago Splitter stepping in as interim coach.
