Chaucy Billups, the Portland Trail Blazers’ head coach and five-time all-star who won a championship alongside the Detroit Pistons, was arrested on the early morning of October 23 on illegal gambling charges, along with several other high-profile basketball figures.
Chauncey Billups has had a long career in basketball prior to coaching the Trail Blazers. He was actually a Hall of Fame basketball player. He played on many teams over the years, including the LA Clippers, New York Knicks, and Denver Nuggets, but spent most of his time playing for the Detroit Pistons.
Prosecutors claim that Billups acted as a “face card” so that they could attract unsuspecting players to play rigged poker games. The operation had various ways of rigging the poker matches, from using an X-Ray table to see the opponent’s hand, to rigged shuffling machines. Billups and the other basketball players arrested were the perfect bait for wealthy victims who were just excited to play alongside a famous basketball player.
The mafia, also known as La Cosa Nostra, was also involved by providing support, protection and would sometimes involve the operation in their own high stakes and illegal poker games. The court documents from Manhattan New York allege that several other crime families including the Bonanno family and the Bambino family were also found to be involved in holding some of these illegal poker games alongside these basketball stars. Overall the main task the mafia had was backing the games and protecting the players. Only occasionally would they have their own games.
Terry Rozier and Damon Jones who are also influential basketball players, were also arrested and are currently under investigation for illegal sports betting, and rigged poker games. Billups is only mentioned in the rigged poker case.
Authorities identified seven NBA games that are part of the first case,
- March 2024 – Toronto Raptors vs. Sacramento Kings
- January 2024 – Toronto Raptors vs. Los Angeles Clippers
- January 2024 – Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
- April 2023 – Orlando Magic Vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
- March 2023 – Portland Trail Blazers Vs. Chicago Bulls
- March 2023 – Charlotte Hornets Vs. New Orleans Pelicans
- February 2023 – Los Angeles Lakers Vs. Milwaukee Bucks
Although Billups isn’t mentioned in the sports betting case, it is alleged that Billups told a bettor that many Portland Trail Blazers players would be missing a certain game. The game in question was the Portland Trail Blazers against the Chicago Bulls in March of 2023, which they did end up losing. Billups has not yet been charged for this specific instance.
According to a recent article by ESPN, the Trail Blazers said in a statement that they “are aware of the allegations involving head coach Chauncey Billups, and the Trail Blazers are fully cooperating with the investigation.” In his first court appearance in New York City, Billups pleaded not guilty, but had to put up a 5 million dollar bond which his daughter co-signed. He also recently began the process of selling his 4.2 million dollar home in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Billup’s next court appearance is set to be March 4th of 2026, so make sure you watch for updates on the case and the trial. For Billup’s charges, consisting of money laundering, and wire fraud conspiracy, the maximum sentence is up to 20 years in prison but it’s safe to say his time on the court is done.
