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Portland Trailblazers head coach Chauncey Billups on Monday pleaded not guilty to taking part in a gambling scheme that has rocked the NBA.
He entered his plea during an appearance at a federal courthouse in Brooklyn on charges of wire fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy as authorities accuse the Naismith Hall of Famer of being the "face card" in a scheme that helped lure players to alleged mob-run poker games held in Las Vegas.
During the games, the complaint claims that sophisticated machines were used to dupe victims out of millions of dollars.
Both charges carry a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison if convicted.
From USA Today:
Billups, dressed in a gray suit and light blue dress shirt, and flanked by his attorneys, arrived at the Theodore Roosevelt United States Courthouse in Brooklyn, home to the Eastern District of New York, nearly an hour before his arraignment, which was also a status conference hearing for the other 30 defendants in the case, dubbed "Operation Royal Flush," which prosecutors say involved organized crime figures, who committed violent acts to collect on debts.
When he was arrested in Portland on Oct. 23, Billups was ordered by a judge to forfeit his passport and restrict his travel to Oregon, Colorado, and New York.
Nearly three dozen individuals were arrested as part of the scheme.
Earlier, former NBA player Damon Jones pleaded not guilty to charges related to illegal sports betting and rigged poker games in federal court.
Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was accused in a separate scheme of exploiting private information about players to win bets on NBA games. His next court date is scheduled for December 8, 2025, in Brooklyn, New York.
- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
