Chauncey Billups, a former NBA head coach and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, was arrested on Thursday as part of an FBI investigation into a rigged poker scheme. The federal charges against him include conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. Billups, who was previously an NBA champion with the Detroit Pistons, is set to appear in federal court in New York on November 24. He was released from custody under certain conditions, including turning over his passport, being barred from gambling-related activities, and not having contact with other co-defendants, including Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and former player Damon Jones.
The NBA placed Billups on administrative leave, with Thiago Splitter taking over the head coaching duties for the Trail Blazers. The team stated that they are cooperating with the investigation and emphasized the importance of the integrity of the game. Billups, who walked out of the courthouse in a brown hooded sweatshirt and gray sweatpants, was on the sidelines for the Trail Blazers’ game the previous night. While Billups’ attorney, Chris Heywood, said the conditions are standard in such allegations, the situation has drawn significant attention from the sports community and media.
The FBI investigation reportedly involves connections to the La Costa Nostra crime families, with Billups and Jones allegedly serving as ‘face cards’ to attract victims to the rigged poker games. The scheme is said to have resulted in victims losing at least $7.15 million since April 2019, with one of the games in Las Vegas involving a rigged shuffling machine that led to victims losing over $50,000. During these games, Billups was allegedly instructed to lose deliberately to avoid suspicion, and he was later wired $50,000 following another game. His co-defendant, Damon Jones, was also involved in the scheme, with reports indicating he received a $2,500 advance before a game and expressed confidence in his role, stating, “Lol man y’all call Djones in cause y’all know I know what I’m doing!!”
The Trail Blazers’ statement on the situation highlighted their commitment to the integrity of the NBA and their cooperation with authorities. They emphasized that Billups, who has a reputation for integrity, would not engage in such fraudulent activities. Billups’ team has also expressed confidence in his innocence, with a statement from ESPN noting that he would not risk his legacy, reputation, or freedom for such actions. As the investigation continues, the sports community and fans await further developments, with the potential financial and reputational impact on Billups being significant.