Chauncey Billups, Damon Jones have been used to coerce poker victims, DOJ says

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NEW YORK – Former NBA gamers Chauncey Billups — at the moment the Portland Path Blazers' head coach — and Damon Jones have been arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit each wire fraud and cash laundering after allegedly taking part in rigged poker video games.

Billups and Jones have been allegedly dubbed as "face playing cards" which, the indictment says, have been "members of the Dishonest Groups and obtained a portion of the legal proceeds in alternate for his or her participation within the scheme." The scheme resulted within the victims shedding not less than $7.15 million, courting again to April 2019, in line with the Division of Justice.

"Billups and Jones, specifically … have been utilized to draw victims to the video games due to their standing as former skilled athletes," the DOJ stated.

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Chauncey Billups and Damon Jones have been arrested on Thursday as a part of an unlawful poker scheme. (Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Photographs; Invoice Frakes/Sports activities Illustrated by way of Getty Photographs)

The DOJ added that in April 2019, Billups was considered one of 5 defendants who "organized and took part in rigged poker video games" in Las Vegas "utilizing a rigged shuffling machine" with the victims shedding not less than $50,000. One of many defendants texted one other co-conspirator that Billups ought to purposefully lose a hand to keep away from dishonest suspicions.

Throughout that sport, a defendant stated one of many victims had "acted like he wished Chauncey to have his cash" as a result of he was "star struck" by Billups, in line with officers.

In October 2020, Billups was allegedly wired $50,000 following a rigged poker sport. Earlier than one sport, Jones allegedly requested for a $10,000 advance and stated that he "wanted" motion "unhealthy." He was given $2,500.

Head coach Chauncey Billups of the Portland Path Blazers appears to be like on throughout the second half towards the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder at Paycom Middle on Jan. 11, 2024 in Oklahoma Metropolis, Oklahoma. (Joshua Gateley/Getty Photographs)

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In response to being coached on the right way to cheat, Jones replied, "Lol man y'all name Djones in trigger y'all know I do know what I am doing!!" in line with the DOJ.

"We're within the technique of reviewing the federal indictments introduced right now. Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups are being positioned on quick go away type 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 sport stays our high precedence," the NBA stated in a press release.

Billups' profession earnings exceeded $100 million as a participant, whereas Jones made not less than $20 million.

It isn't clear how Billups and Jones grew to become pleasant with the opposite defendants, lots of whom are a part of three separate Italian-American crime households.

Jones, a former NBA coach, can also be a suspect within the sports activities playing case by which Terry Rozier was arrested Thursday.

Portland Path Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups leads his group towards the Chicago Bulls throughout the second half on the United Middle on April 4, 2024. (Matt Marton/Imagn Photographs)