Chauncey Billups, head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, is among several individuals charged in connection with an illegal poker operation allegedly linked to organized crime, according to officials. Federal prosecutor Joseph Nocella Jr. stated that the poker games were designed as a “confidence scheme,” where players faced rigged conditions from the outset, utilizing devices to shuffle cards and X-ray players’ hands. The operation reportedly included professional basketball players and began in 2019, with games held in locations such as the Hamptons, Manhattan, Las Vegas, and Miami. Prosecutors claimed the illegal venture generated “millions of dollars in profits,” with around $7 million originating from gambling activities alone.
The investigation, which spanned two years, was conducted by the NYPD and FBI, as noted by Commissioner Jessica Tisch. Officials indicated that if players failed to settle their gambling debts, members of the organized crime groups allegedly resorted to intimidation and violence. “We are announcing numerous arrests related to significant corruption in our city’s underground poker and gambling circles,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch declared. “The individuals arrested represent a wide range of backgrounds, including some who might surprise people.” FBI Director Kash Patel remarked on the extensive nature of the sports-related crimes, emphasizing the financial losses involved in fraud, theft, and robbery.
Billups, who played in the NBA for 17 seasons, was a six-time All-Star and contributed to the Detroit Pistons’ 2004 NBA Championship victory, where he was named Finals MVP. Christopher Raia, an FBI assistant director from the New York Field Office, characterized the criminal charges as a “civil takedown” involving 34 defendants linked to two connected illegal gambling and poker operations.