The world of professional basketball was rocked this week by a federal investigation that reads more like a Hollywood script than a sports headline. On October 23, 2025, Portland Trail Blazers head coach and recent Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Chauncey Billups was arrested at his Lake Oswego, Oregon, home. The charges? Multiple felonies, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy, all tied to an elaborate, nationwide illegal gambling ring with deep roots in organized crime and connections to both current and former NBA players.
Federal prosecutors allege that Billups, 49, participated in a series of high-stakes poker games stretching from Manhattan’s glittering backrooms to the sun-soaked tables of Miami and Las Vegas, as well as the Hamptons. These weren’t your average poker nights. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, the games were meticulously rigged using advanced technology: marked cards, compromised shuffling machines, X-ray-equipped tables, and even specialized contact lenses or eyeglasses that allowed certain players to see hidden markings. The operation was orchestrated by members of La Cosa Nostra, the infamous American-Sicilian mafia, and reportedly netted more than $7 million in illicit profits.
Billups, a five-time NBA All-Star and the 2004 Finals MVP with the Detroit Pistons, was allegedly more than just a participant. Prosecutors claim he acted as a conduit between game organizers and NBA insiders, lending his celebrity status as a “Face Card” to attract high-rolling victims to the games. One defendant even observed that a victim seemed “starstruck” by Billups, making him an ideal lure for the operation. Court documents suggest that the presence of respected athletes like Billups and former NBA player Damon Jones was a deliberate strategy to legitimize the games and draw in wealthy players who believed they were competing on a level playing field.
The investigation, dubbed Operation Royal Flush, culminated in the arrest of 31 individuals across 11 states, including members of the Bonanno, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese crime families—four of New York’s notorious Five Families. Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was also arrested in a related indictment, accused of using non-public NBA game information to influence sports bets. His lawyer, James Trusty, pushed back forcefully, stating, “Terry is not a gambler, but he is not afraid of a fight, and he looks forward to winning this fight.” Rozier’s case, while separate from Billups’, underscores the investigation’s broad reach into the NBA.
The technological sophistication of the cheating was staggering. According to Sal Piacente, a casino security expert, X-ray systems embedded in poker tables could read the cards as they were dealt. Altered shuffling machines, instead of randomizing cards, would relay information to earpieces worn by conspirators, ensuring the right hands went to the right players. Even chip trays were equipped with cameras to analyze and transmit card information. The players in on the scam used subtle signals—like touching a colored chip or tapping their chin—to communicate with each other. Meanwhile, victims, lured by the glamour of NBA stars, had no idea the odds were stacked against them from the first deal.
Federal authorities detailed how the mafia’s role in such schemes has evolved over the decades. Gone are the days of headline-grabbing violence and business shakedowns; today’s organized crime is more likely to be found orchestrating securities fraud, online sports betting, and elaborate gambling operations. Drew Rolle, a former acting chief of the organized crimes and gangs section at the Eastern District of New York, noted, “These families continued to exist and shifted to rackets that were a lot more profitable and had a lot fewer downside risks to them, in terms of years of prison they might face.”
Violence and intimidation, however, have not disappeared entirely. Prosecutors allege that when victims failed to pay gambling debts, they were threatened and, in some cases, assaulted. One defendant, Zhen Hu, allegedly texted a victim who hadn’t paid, “You’ve been running your mouth unchecked,” before reportedly punching the victim in the face. The indictment describes further acts of violence and extortion, including a gunpoint robbery to obtain a rigged shuffling machine and ensure debts were repaid.
Billups made his initial court appearance in Portland on the afternoon of his arrest. He was released on bond, but with strict conditions: he must surrender his passport and is barred from gambling or traveling outside the United States before his next hearing, scheduled for November 24 in Brooklyn federal court. His attorney, Chris Heywood, issued a passionate denial: “To believe that Chauncey Billups did what the government is accusing him of is to believe he would risk his Hall of Fame legacy, his reputation, and his freedom. He would not jeopardize those things for anything, let alone a card game.” Heywood further emphasized, “Anyone who knows Chauncey Billups knows he is a man of integrity; men of integrity do not cheat and defraud others.”
The NBA wasted no time responding to the scandal. Billups was placed on immediate leave, with the league declaring, “We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness. The integrity of our game remains our top priority.” The Portland Trail Blazers, meanwhile, appointed assistant coach Tiago Splitter as interim head coach. Splitter, a former San Antonio Spurs champion, led the Blazers to a resounding 139–119 victory over the Golden State Warriors in his first game at the helm. Players described the mood in the locker room as “somber but supportive,” expressing shock and sympathy for Billups and his family.
The case has sent shockwaves through the NBA and beyond, raising uncomfortable questions about the intersection of professional sports and the ever-expanding world of legal—and illegal—sports betting. According to the American Gaming Association, more than $450 billion was wagered illegally in the U.S. in 2024, a figure that highlights the blurred lines and growing risks of corruption as betting becomes more accessible nationwide.
For now, Chauncey Billups remains on leave, preparing for his next court date as the NBA and federal investigators dig ever deeper into the alleged gambling network. The story, with its blend of sports stardom, mafia intrigue, and technological trickery, is far from over. One thing’s for sure: the coming months will keep fans, officials, and players alike on edge as the full scope of Operation Royal Flush comes to light.
