Hours after Chauncey Billups was arrested as part of a pair of sprawling federal busts, his legal team has a message.
He won’t be backing down from the fight.
Billups, a Hall of Fame player and current head coach of the Trail Blazers, was one of three people with NBA ties and 31 overall who were arrested in connection with two alleged schemes, one that involved rigged poker games and the other that included insider sports betting tips.
Trailblazers head coach Chauncey Billups exits the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse after his arraignment on Oct. 23, 2025 in Portland. Getty Images
Heat guard Terry Rozier and former player and coach Damon Jones were also arrested as part of the bombshell cases.
Billups and Jones, federal prosecutors allege, were two of the “face cards” used in the Mafia-tied poker rigging scheme that sought to attract “fish” in order to get them to spend big money.
The ring allegedly used technology, including rigged X-ray card tables, card shufflers and special glasses and contact lenses, to cheat games.
Billups and Rozier were put on leave by the NBA.
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Chris Heywood, an attorney for Billups, told ESPN through a statement that the former guard is a “man of integrity” who intends to fight the case.
The FBI has arrested 31 people involved in a rigged poker game ring backed by the New York City organized crime families.
Ernest Aiello — reputed Bonanno mobster
Nelson “Spanish G” Alvarez
Louis “Lou Ap” Apicella
Ammar “Flapper Poker” Awawdeh
Saul Becher — professional poker player
Chauncey Billups — Portland Trail Blazers coach, NBA Hall of Famer and 2004 NBA champion
Matthew “The Wrestler” Daddino
Eric “Spooky” Earnest
Lee Fama — professional poker player
John Gallo
Marco Garzon
Thomas “Tommy Juice” Gelardo — reputed Lucchese mobster charged in 2013 for beating porn star girlfriend
Jamie Gilet
Tony “Black Tony” Goodson
Kenny Han
Shane “Sugar” Henne
Osman “Albanian Bruce” Hoti
Horatio Hu
Zhen “Scruli” Hu
Damon “Dee Jones” Jones — NBA player from 1998 to 2009
Joseph Lanni
John “John South” Mazzola
Curtis Meeks
Nicholas Minucci
Michael Renzulli
Anthony Ruggiero Jr.
Anthony “Doc” Shnayderman
Robert “Black Rob” Stroud
Seth Trustman
Sophia “Pookie” Wei
Julius Ziliani
“Anyone who knows Chauncey Billups knows he is a man of integrity; men of integrity do not cheat and defraud others,” Heywood said.”
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“To believe that Chauncey Billups did what the federal government is accusing him of is to believe that 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.”
Billups was not named in the sports betting indictment, but “Co-Conspirator 8,” who allegedly passed along a tip about the Blazers resting players during a 2023 game, matched his description.
Trailblazers head coach Chauncey Billups exits the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse after his arraignment. Getty Images
Heywood said Billups never provided inside information to others.
“Furthermore, Chauncey Billups has never and would never gamble on basketball games, provide insider information, or sacrifice the trust of his team and the League, as it would tarnish the game he has devoted his entire life to.
“Chauncey Billups has never backed down. He does not plan to do so now. He will fight these allegations with the same tenacity that marked his 28-year career. We look forward to our day in court.”