Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups entered a not guilty plea on Monday after federal prosecutors accused him of participating in Mafia-connected illegal gambling operations that have shaken the NBA.
According to investigators, Billups — a former Detroit Pistons standout and NBA Hall of Famer — was arrested over his alleged role in underground poker games rigged with high-tech cheating tools. Authorities say the operation, tied to organized crime families, used X-ray poker tables, barcoded card decks, and other covert devices to manipulate outcomes and siphon money from players.
Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier were named as key targets in an FBI probe that led to dozens of arrests nationwide. The NBA immediately placed both players on indefinite leave as the investigation widened. Rozier and former NBA player-turned-assistant coach Damon Jones were also detained in a related illegal sports betting case.
In filings confirmed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, Billups faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. He denied all allegations during a brief appearance in a Brooklyn federal courtroom, represented by attorney Marc Mukasey. He is expected to finalize a $5-million bond for his release while awaiting trial.
Prosecutors argue that Billups’s fame drew high-rollers into the illegal games, giving the operation the credibility it needed to flourish. They described the gambling ring as a sophisticated network that blended technology with deception to tilt the odds.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver previously expressed alarm over the scandal, saying he was “deeply disturbed” by the breadth of the FBI’s findings.
“There’s nothing more important for the league and its fans than the integrity of the competition,” Silver said, adding that it was regrettable the controversy had overshadowed the start of the NBA season.
Billups’s legal battle is expected to unfold over the coming months as federal investigators continue to unravel what they describe as one of the most elaborate gambling schemes the league has ever faced.