NEW YORK (KATU) — Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups appeared in federal court in Brooklyn, New York on Monday.
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He’s facing charges tied to what prosecutors call an illegal multi-million-dollar poker operation.
Billups pleaded not guilty to those federal charges. The FBI says a mafia-run gambling ring set up the rigged poker games and Billups helped by using his celebrity to bring in unsuspecting players.
Billups, an NBA Hall of Famer and 2004 NBA Champion was arrested back in late October. Billups was arraigned on money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy charges, both of which carry a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison.
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Prosecutors say poker tables were equipped with altered shuffling machines and x-ray technology designed to pre-determine outcomes.
Billups was in the federal courthouse for just about three hours.
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The AP contributed to this story.