Chauncey Billups leaves Oregon courthouse after arrest

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Basketball Corridor of Famer Chauncey Billups left an Oregon federal courthouse with out answering questions on Thursday after he was arrested as a part of an FBI playing investigation.

Federal officers introduced Billups was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and cash laundering. He’s set to be arraigned at a federal courthouse in New York on Nov. 24.

He was launched from custody below sure circumstances. He was compelled to show over his passport and was barred from gambling-related exercise and having any contact with any of the 30-plus co-defendants who had been additionally charged, together with Miami Warmth guard Terry Rozier and former participant and assistant coach Damon Jones. He’s unable to journey outdoors of Oregon and Colorado.

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Portland Path Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups walks to a automobile after his federal court docket look on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, in Portland, Oregon. (AP Picture/Jenny Kane)

"The circumstances are normal and customary in allegations like this," his lawyer Chris Heywood instructed The Oregonian . "Of us shouldn’t draw any conclusions from this."

Billups was noticed strolling out of the courtroom in a brown hooded sweatshirt and grey sweatpants. He was on the sidelines for the Path Blazers’ recreation on Wednesday evening.

The NBA positioned him on administrative go away.

"We're within the strategy of reviewing the federal indictments introduced right now," the league stated. "Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups are being positioned on speedy 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 high precedence."

The Path Blazers stated Thiago Splitter would take over head-coaching duties within the interim.

"We're conscious of the allegations involving head coach Chauncey Billups, and the Path Blazers are absolutely cooperating with the investigation," the workforce stated. "Billups has been positioned on speedy go away, and Tiago Splitter will assume head teaching duties within the interim. Any additional questions ought to be directed to the NBA."

Billups and Jones had been charged as a part of an investigation into rigged poker video games with alleged ties to the La Costa Nostra crime households.

Portland Path Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups walks to a automobile after his federal court docket look on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, in Portland, Oregon. (AP Picture/Jenny Kane)

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Billups and Jones had been allegedly dubbed as "face playing cards" which, the indictment says, had been "members of the Dishonest Groups and obtained a portion of the felony proceeds in alternate for his or her participation within the scheme." The scheme resulted within the victims shedding at the least $7.15 million, relationship again to April 2019, in response to the Division of Justice.

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

The DOJ added that in April 2019, Billups was one in every 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 at the least $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 recreation, a defendant stated one of many victims had "acted like he needed Chauncey to have his cash" as a result of he was "star struck" by Billups, in response to officers.

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

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

Portland Path Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups listens throughout a information convention, Friday, June 27, 2025, in Portland, Oregon. (AP Picture/Jenny Kane)