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In a dramatic turn of events following his arrest, Chauncey Billups, the celebrated Hall of Famer and head coach of the Trail Blazers, is standing his ground. His legal team has made it clear that he plans to vigorously contest the charges leveled against him.
Billups was apprehended as part of a significant federal crackdown that also ensnared two other individuals with NBA connections, among a total of 31 individuals arrested. The charges stem from two alleged operations involving rigged poker games and insider sports betting tips.
Alongside Billups, the arrest list included Heat guard Terry Rozier and former NBA player and coach Damon Jones. According to federal prosecutors, Billups and Jones played the role of “face cards” in a Mafia-associated poker scheme. This operation allegedly aimed to lure unsuspecting players, referred to as “fish,” into high-stakes games to maximize monetary gains.
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.
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.”
