NBA Sports Betting: Chauncey Billups Declares Innocence and the FBI Requests 20 Years

Chauncey Billups, coach of the Portland Trail Blazers and Hall of Fame member, pleaded not guilty on Monday to accusations of benefiting from rigged poker games involving Mafia figures and at least one other former NBA player.

The former point guard, a five-time All-Star and champion with Detroit Pistons, was charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, offenses that carry sentences of up to 20 years in prison in the FBI investigation into illegal sports betting in the NBA.

During a brief appearance in federal court in New York, dressed in a dark gray suit, Billups responded only with monosyllables to the judge's routine questions. Later, at a bail hearing, he was released on bail set at five million dollars, backed by his home in Colorado and also signed by his daughter Cydney, who is responsible for player services at the Minnesota Timberwolves. Neither Billups nor his lawyer, Marc Mukasey, made statements upon leaving the court.

The former player is one of the most prominent names in the extensive federal operation conducted last month against illegal betting activities related to professional sports. According to the investigation, the 49-year-old coach would have been involved in a system that manipulated underground poker games in Manhattan, Las Vegas, Miami, and the Hamptons. Among those implicated is also Damon Jones, a former player and assistant coach, arrested for alleged involvement in this same scheme.

Authorities claim that the network used sophisticated technology to alter game outcomes: modified card shuffling machines, hidden cameras in chip trays, special glasses, and even X-ray devices installed on tables. In parallel, Jones and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier were accused in a separate case of providing insider information for NBA game betting.

Prosecutors estimate that the organizers earned around seven million dollars through this system since at least 2019. They also state that Chauncey Billups acted as bait to attract wealthy and unsuspecting players. In one described episode, the scheme's operators commented in messages that a victim was dazzled by the presence of the former point guard and seemed willing to lose money to him. According to the accusation, Billups received part of the illegal profits, including a direct payment of 50,000 dollars after a game in October 2020.

The groups running the games had to share their winnings with the Gambino, Genovese, and Bonanno families, which controlled these operations in New York. In return, members of these clans provided support through violent acts to ensure debt collection and business continuity.

Billups, drafted third overall in 1997 after his college career at Colorado, played 17 seasons in the NBA with teams like Boston, Toronto, Denver, Minnesota, New York, and the Clippers. He is particularly connected to Detroit, where he won the championship, was the Finals MVP in 2004, and had his number 1 jersey retired by the franchise.

Billups Faces Uphill Battle

After retiring in 2014, he embarked on a career as a TV analyst before transitioning to coaching. Portland hired him in 2021, and earlier this year, he had signed a contract extension despite the team's absence from the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. Following his arrest, the Trail Blazers suspended him from his duties without pay and appointed assistant Tiago Splitter as interim coach.

As a condition of his bail, Billups had to surrender his passport and can only travel to certain states. The 31 individuals involved in various illegal betting cases are due back in court on March 4 for a process update. Federal Judge Ramon Reyes expressed his intention for the trial to begin in September 2026.