Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups pleads not guilty to crimes stemming from alleged poker scheme
But as you now know, individuals such as Chauncey Billups, Damon Jones, and Terry Rozi were taken into custody today, former current NBA players and coaches. What you don’t know is that this is an illegal gambling operation and sports rigging operation that spanned the course of years. The FBI led *** coordinated takedown across 11 states to arrest over 30 individuals today responsible for this case, which is very much ongoing. Not only did we crack into the fraud that these perpetrators. Committed on the grand stage of the NBA, but we also entered and executed *** system of justice against La Casa Nostra to include the Bonanno, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchesi crime families, and you’ll hear more about those details today. The charges and the arrests that were taken down across this country range from wire fraud, money laundering, extortion, robbery, illegal gambling. This FBI will leave no room for any perpetrator of crime. You hear *** lot about our work of defending the homeland and crushing violent crime. Well, this work is also representative of *** colossal portion of the FBI’s mandate to keep America safe and to keep our entertainment industry fair and secure. The men and women that are standing up here today worked tireless hours, days, months, and years, and the fraud is mind boggling. 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 *** multi-year investigation.
But as you now know, individuals such as Chauncey Billups, Damon Jones, and Terry Rozi were taken into custody today, former current NBA players and coaches. What you don’t know is that this is an illegal gambling operation and sports rigging operation that spanned the course of years. The FBI led *** coordinated takedown across 11 states to arrest over 30 individuals today responsible for this case, which is very much ongoing. Not only did we crack into the fraud that these perpetrators. Committed on the grand stage of the NBA, but we also entered and executed *** system of justice against La Casa Nostra to include the Bonanno, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchesi crime families, and you’ll hear more about those details today. The charges and the arrests that were taken down across this country range from wire fraud, money laundering, extortion, robbery, illegal gambling. This FBI will leave no room for any perpetrator of crime. You hear *** lot about our work of defending the homeland and crushing violent crime. Well, this work is also representative of *** colossal portion of the FBI’s mandate to keep America safe and to keep our entertainment industry fair and secure. The men and women that are standing up here today worked tireless hours, days, months, and years, and the fraud is mind boggling. 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 *** multi-year investigation.
Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups pleads not guilty to crimes stemming from alleged poker scheme
Updated: 11:02 AM CST Nov 24, 2025
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups pleaded not guilty Monday to charges stemming from a scheme to help lure unsuspecting gamblers to a mob-run poker game they didn’t know was fixed.The Hall of Famer, wearing a gray suit, appeared with his attorney in federal court in Brooklyn along with 30 other members of the scheme.”We enter a plea of not guilty your honor,” said his attorney Marc Mukase.Prosecutors discussed the distribution of what they called “voluminous” evidence and argued for a protective order so they could send evidence from electronics seized during arrest, phone records, surveillance images and other pieces of evidence. In all, prosecutors said about one terabyte of evidence would be available on a rolling basis.There was brief discussion to split the large group of defendants into smaller groups, but the judge decided to keep them together for now.All are due back in court March 4, when they will have access to the large ceremonial courtroom.US District Judge Ramon Reyes also told prosecutors that even though there is a lot of evidence and 31 defendants, he doesn’t want the case to drag on.”I want things to start in September of next year,” Reyes told prosecutors.
CNN —
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups pleaded not guilty Monday to charges stemming from a scheme to help lure unsuspecting gamblers to a mob-run poker game they didn’t know was fixed.
The Hall of Famer, wearing a gray suit, appeared with his attorney in federal court in Brooklyn along with 30 other members of the scheme.
“We enter a plea of not guilty your honor,” said his attorney Marc Mukase.
Prosecutors discussed the distribution of what they called “voluminous” evidence and argued for a protective order so they could send evidence from electronics seized during arrest, phone records, surveillance images and other pieces of evidence. In all, prosecutors said about one terabyte of evidence would be available on a rolling basis.
There was brief discussion to split the large group of defendants into smaller groups, but the judge decided to keep them together for now.
All are due back in court March 4, when they will have access to the large ceremonial courtroom.
US District Judge Ramon Reyes also told prosecutors that even though there is a lot of evidence and 31 defendants, he doesn’t want the case to drag on.
“I want things to start in September of next year,” Reyes told prosecutors.