On a brisk Monday morning in Brooklyn, a scene unfolded that seemed more suited to a Hollywood crime thriller than the world of professional basketball. Chauncey Billups, the NBA Hall of Famer and head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, stood before a federal judge, flanked by his family and legal team, to plead not guilty to charges that have sent shockwaves through the league and beyond. The allegations? That Billups played a central role in a sprawling, Mafia-backed scheme to rig high-stakes poker games across some of America’s glitziest cities.
According to The Associated Press, Billups’ arraignment on November 24, 2025, in New York City was the latest chapter in a federal investigation that has ensnared over 30 defendants, including other NBA figures and notorious organized crime families. Prosecutors allege that Billups, 49, acted as a so-called “face card” for the illegal gambling ring, lending his celebrity to lure wealthy, unsuspecting players into games that were, unbeknownst to them, rigged from the start.
At the heart of the case are charges of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy—each carrying a potential 20-year prison sentence. Billups’ bond was set at $5 million, secured by his Colorado home, with his wife Piper and daughter Cydney (herself a manager for the Minnesota Timberwolves) signing the bond documents. He surrendered his passport and agreed to strict travel restrictions and reporting requirements for any large financial transactions. The courtroom, as described by BBC News, was packed with defendants, attorneys, and family members—a sea of navy and gray suits, punctuated by a palpable sense of tension and anticipation.
Prosecutors painted a picture of a high-tech, high-stakes operation. The poker games, hosted in Manhattan, Las Vegas, Miami, and the Hamptons, were allegedly rigged using an arsenal of sophisticated gadgets: altered card-shuffling machines, hidden cameras embedded in chip trays, special sunglasses, and even X-ray equipment built into the tables to reveal opponents’ cards. Specialized contact lenses that could read marked cards were also reportedly in play. The games, running since at least 2019, netted the conspirators more than $7 million, according to court filings cited by CBS News.
Billups’ role, prosecutors say, was to attract “big fish”—wealthy players drawn by the allure of rubbing shoulders with an NBA legend. In one particularly telling exchange, organizers messaged each other that a victim “acted like he wanted Chauncey to have his money” because he was “starstruck.” After a rigged game in October 2020, Billups allegedly received a $50,000 wire transfer as part of the ill-gotten gains. The proceeds were not just pocketed by the organizers; a cut was paid to the Gambino, Genovese, and Bonanno crime families for the privilege of operating in their territory. These Mafia groups, prosecutors allege, used violence, extortion, and robbery to enforce debts and keep the operation running smoothly.
Billups, who was drafted third overall in the 1997 NBA draft and earned the nickname “Mr. Big Shot” for his clutch performances—most notably as the 2004 NBA Finals MVP with the Detroit Pistons—had transitioned from a storied playing career to coaching. He was hired as Portland’s head coach in 2021 and signed a multiyear extension earlier this year, despite the team’s recent struggles. His arrest on October 23, 2025, as part of the FBI’s “Operation Royal Flush,” led the NBA to place him on immediate unpaid leave. Assistant coach and former NBA player Tiago Splitter has since taken over as interim head coach. “We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and the integrity of our game remains our top priority,” the NBA said in a statement quoted by The New York Post.
The legal proceedings are as complex as the alleged scheme itself. U.S. District Judge Ramon Reyes, presiding over the case, was faced with the logistical challenge of managing more than 30 defendants. Prosecutors suggested dividing them into smaller groups for efficiency, but several defense attorneys objected, fearing it would disadvantage their clients. For now, Judge Reyes has opted to keep the defendants together, with the next procedural hearing set for March 4, 2026, and a tentative trial date eyed for September of the same year.
Other high-profile names have emerged in the investigation. Former Cleveland Cavaliers guard Damon Jones, also indicted in both the poker and insider sports betting cases, pleaded not guilty and was released on a $200,000 bond. Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier faces charges in a related sports betting ring, where prosecutors allege that insider information about NBA games and injuries was exploited for profit. In one instance, Rozier is accused of telling a co-conspirator he would fake an injury to leave a game early, giving gamblers a potentially lucrative edge.
The breadth of the investigation is staggering. FBI Director Kash Patel, speaking at a press conference, described the operation as “mind-boggling,” noting, “It’s not hundreds of dollars, it’s not thousands of dollars, it’s not tens of thousands of dollars, it’s not even millions of dollars. We’re talking about tens of millions of dollars in fraud and theft and robbery across a multiyear investigation.” The FBI probe, spanning 11 states and involving a terabyte of collected data, has been years in the making.
Billups’ legal team, led by attorney Marc Mukasey, entered the not guilty plea on his behalf and has so far declined public comment. As the legal process grinds forward, plea discussions have reportedly begun with some defendants, but no formal deals have been struck. Prosecutors anticipate releasing discovery materials within two weeks of a protective order being finalized.
For Portland and its loyal basketball fans, the scandal is especially jarring. The Trail Blazers are the only NBA franchise in the Pacific Northwest, and Billups’ sudden fall from grace has left the team—and the city—reeling. As the legal drama continues to unfold, the question remains: how deep does the rot go, and what will be the lasting impact on the league’s reputation?
The next chapter in this saga will play out in courtrooms and, inevitably, in the court of public opinion. With a trial likely to begin in September 2026, all eyes will remain fixed on Brooklyn, where the fate of a basketball legend—and the integrity of professional sports—hangs in the balance.
