Last month, now suspended, Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups landed in the news for all the wrong reasons. The former NBA champ was brought to federal court over a case involving illegal, mob-backed poker games across New York, Miami, Las Vegas, and more, a scheme that included over 30 suspects. Now, the case has taken its next step, with fresh updates filed that push the investigation forward.

The New York Post shared a notable update on the suspects, writing, “A prosecutor disclosed to the court that several suspects accused in the scheme which allegedly defrauded victims of more than $7 million may reach plea deals.”

All 31 individuals tied to the high-profile NBA poker case were brought into a Brooklyn courtroom on Monday, filling its largest chamber as federal officials hinted some might already be looking for a way out.  Assistant US Attorney Michael Gibaldi made that clear, telling the court, “With respect to some of the defendants, plea negotiations have already begun.”

To give context to those unfamiliar, the federal case involves two major illegal gambling schemes running for years. One focused on sports betting, the other on rigged poker games using hidden tech. Over 30 people have been charged, including NBA stars Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier, and Damon Jones, along with members of the Bonanno, Gambino, and Genovese crime families. The FBI says these groups worked together to cheat players out of millions of dollars.

The poker side of the scheme was the wildest part. Prosecutors say game organizers used high-tech tools, like X-ray poker tables, chip tray analyzers, and even altered shuffling machines, to read cards before anyone played them. That information was sent to an insider called the “Quarterback,” who then secretly signaled teammates at the table. 

Since they already knew who would win, victims sat down thinking it was a normal high-stakes game, but walked out losing tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars without knowing they never stood a chance. Overall, victims lost at least $7 million.

Some former NBA players were reportedly used as “face cards,” well-known names meant to draw in players and give the games an air of trust. Authorities say a few people, including Damon Jones, were involved in both schemes. And with recent updates on plea deals, Chauncey Billups has entered a not guilty plea.

Chauncey Billups pleads not guilty, posts $5 million bond

Chauncey Billups pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges that he helped run mob-backed, rigged poker games. The hearing took place in a packed Brooklyn federal courtroom, where 30 of his co-defendants, including former NBA player Damon Jones, were also present. Billups, dressed in a dark grey suit with a white pocket square, answered only yes-or-no questions as his lawyer entered his plea.

After the hearing, Billups posted a $5 million bond, secured by property he owns in Greenwood Village, Colorado, with his wife. Brooklyn District Court Judge Ramon Reyes set strict conditions for his release: no gambling, no contact with other defendants or alleged victims, surrender his passport, and limit travel to seven states, including Oregon, New York, and Washington, D.C.

Prosecutors had alleged that Billups acted as a “high-profile face card,” drawing in wealthy gamblers to rigged Texas Hold ‘Em games in Manhattan, Las Vegas, Miami, and the Hamptons. In one instance from October 2020, he was allegedly wired $50,000 from a single rigged game.

His lawyers maintain his innocence, with Chris Heywood saying, “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.”