NBA Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups Posts $5 Million Bail and Pleads Not Guilty in Mafia-Linked Rigged Poker Scheme

Chauncey Billups, the respected NBA Hall of Famer turned Portland Trail Blazers coach, has pleaded not guilty to explosive federal charges accusing him of profiting from a Mafia-backed rigged poker operation that allegedly stretched from Manhattan to Las Vegas.

The case, one of the most sweeping gambling crackdowns in recent years, threatens to dismantle the legacy of a player once hailed as one of basketball's most dependable leaders.

The 49-year-old appeared in a Brooklyn federal courtroom on Monday, where prosecutors detailed allegations linking him to a sophisticated criminal enterprise that used altered card-shuffling machines, hidden cameras and even X-ray technology to cheat wealthy players out of millions. Billups, they say, was a celebrity draw for high-stakes games that secretly funnelled money to powerful mob families.

He spoke only to answer the judge's yes-or-no questions as his lawyer, Marc Mukasey, entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf. Billups faces charges of money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy, both of which carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

Billups Released on £3.8 Million Bail

After the arraignment, Billups secured his release on a £3.8 million ($5 million) bond, putting up his Colorado home as collateral. His daughter, Cydney, a Minnesota Timberwolves executive, cosigned the bond.

Under the bail conditions, Billups must surrender his passport, avoid gambling, and refrain from contact with co-defendants or alleged victims. His travel is restricted to seven states. He and Mukasey declined to speak to reporters as they left the courthouse.

His other attorney, Chris Heywood, previously rejected the allegations during an earlier appearance on 23 October, stating that Billups is a 'man of integrity'. He added: '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.'

Prosecutors Outline a High-Tech, Mafia-Enforced Gambling Network

Billups is the most recognisable figure among more than 30 defendants swept up in last month's federal takedown targeting illegal gambling across multiple states.

Prosecutors allege the former Detroit Pistons star acted as a powerful lure, convincing wealthy players to join exclusive poker games that had already been compromised through hidden technology.

According to investigators, victims were defrauded of an estimated £5.3 million ($7 million) beginning in 2019. Prosecutors say organisers even joked that one victim 'acted like he wanted Chauncey to have his money' because he was starstruck.

Billups, who earned more than £83 million ($106 million) over his 17-year NBA career, allegedly received direct payouts from the operation. After one October 2020 game, prosecutors say he was wired £38,700 ($50,000).

A significant portion of the gambling profits was allegedly passed on to the Gambino, Genovese and Bonanno Mafia families, who provided protection, enforced debts and used assault, robbery and extortion to safeguard the operation.

Also charged is former NBA player and coach Damon Jones, who faces separate allegations that he and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier shared insider information to influence bets on NBA games.

Judge Pushes for Trial in Late 2026

US District Court Judge Ramon Reyes said he hopes to begin Billups' trial by September 2026, urging lawyers to prepare accordingly. All 31 defendants are due back in court on 4 March for a status hearing.

The broad federal probe has exposed what investigators describe as deep undercurrents of illegal gambling within professional sports, with the Billups case now becoming the highest-profile example.

Career in Limbo as Trail Blazers Move Forward Without Him

Billups' coaching career has been thrown into uncertainty. The Trail Blazers placed him on unpaid leave immediately following his arrest, naming assistant coach Tiago Splitter as interim head coach.

Billups had signed a multiyear extension earlier this year but managed to coach only the season opener on 22 October before being detained.

The Blazers, currently 8–10 and sitting ninth in the Western Conference, have not indicated when or whether Billups may return.

A beloved figure in Detroit, where he earned the nickname "Mr Big Shot", Billups was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024 after a celebrated career that included an NBA title and Finals MVP honours with the Pistons.

Now, with a potential decades-long prison sentence looming, his future in basketball hangs entirely on the outcome of a case that has stunned the NBA and reignited concerns about organised crime's influence on professional sports.