Portland Path Blazers coach Chauncey Billups was arrested on Thursday morning, as a federal grand jury indicted him in connection to his alleged participation in an unlawful playing scheme. This was the results of a wide-ranging playing investigation that included two separate instances of unlawful sports activities betting and playing. Billups was considered one of three distinguished NBA figures, together with Miami Warmth guard Terry Rozier and former NBA participant Damon Jones, to be arrested. Greater than 30 defendants in all have been charged.
Billups is accused of participating in unlawful high-stakes poker video games tied to La Cosa Nostra, an organized crime household in New York. In response to U.S. lawyer Joseph Nocella, these poker video games focused high-net price people, which have been lured by Billups and Jones. Rigged shuffle machines, X-ray tables that might learn playing cards face down together with particular contact lenses and eyeglasses that might learn premarked playing cards have been allegedly used to repair these card video games.
On Thursday evening, Billups’ lawyer, Chris Heywood, launched a press release on behalf of his consumer, saying that the previous level guard will battle these fees with tenacity.
“Anybody who is aware of Chauncey Billups is aware of he’s a person of integrity; males of integrity don’t cheat and defraud others.
To consider that Chauncey Billups did what the federal authorities is accusing him of is to consider that he would threat his hall-of-fame legacy, his repute, and his freedom. He wouldn’t jeopardize these issues for something, not to mention a card recreation.
Moreover, Chauncey Billups has by no means and would by no means gamble on basketball video games, present insider info, or sacrifice the belief of his group and the League, as it could tarnish the sport he has devoted his complete life to.
Chauncey Billups has by no means backed down. He doesn’t plan to take action now. He’ll battle these allegations with the identical tenacity that marked his 28-year profession. We look ahead to our day in court docket.”
As alluded to within the assertion, Billups might also be tied to sharing inside info with bettors as a coach. He was not named within the Rozier indictment, however an individual known as “Co-Conspirator 8” matches his description.
NBA playing scandal, defined: What to know as Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier get arrested, suspended
Sam Quinn
The NBA introduced Thursday afternoon that each Billups and Rozier have been being positioned on “instant go away” from their respective groups.
“We’re within the technique of reviewing the federal indictments introduced at present,” the league stated in a press release. “Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups are being positioned on instant go away from their groups, and we’ll proceed to cooperate with the related authorities. We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and the integrity of our recreation stays our prime precedence.”
Billups has served because the coach of the Path Blazers since 2021. Throughout his enjoying days, Billups was a five-time All-Star, and received an NBA championship with the Detroit Pistons in 2004. He had his No. 1 retired by the franchise, and was inducted into the Basketball Corridor of Fame in 2024.
