Trending Now - Plea Deals Under Consideration in Chauncey Billups Poker Case
WHO:
Chauncey Billups, NBA Hall of Famer and head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers
Damon Jones, former NBA player
Angelo Ruggiero, Jr., alleged member of the Genovese crime family
Thomas Gelardo, also known as "Juice," alleged associate of the Bonanno crime family
31 defendants in total, including Billups and Jones
Federal prosecutors and Judge Ramon Reyes
WHAT:
Twelve defendants are set to enter plea agreements in a federal case involving rigged poker games.
Nine other defendants are in discussions about possible plea agreements.
Billups and Jones are accused of luring players to rigged poker games.
Billups and Jones have pleaded not guilty to charges of money laundering and wire fraud conspiracy.
The cheating scheme allegedly netted more than $7 million.
The government has produced over 100,000 pages of financial and telephone records, over 800 pages of surveillance photographs, and pole camera footage.
A victim was defrauded of $50,000 in a poker game in Las Vegas in 2019.
WHERE:
Federal court in Brooklyn, New York
147 Lexington Avenue, Manhattan, New York
Las Vegas, Nevada
Greenwood Village, Colorado (Billups' residence)
Lake Oswego, Oregon (Billups' sold residence)
WHEN:
March 4, 2026: Prosecutors announced plea agreements are forthcoming.
November 2, 2026: Trial date set for Billups, Jones, and co-defendants.
October 2025: FBI crackdown on illegal gambling schemes.
November 24, 2025: Billups entered a not guilty plea.
WHY:
The case revolves around allegations of illegal gambling and rigged poker games involving NBA figures and mafia members.
HOW:
The rigged poker games utilized high-tech gadgets, including X-ray tables, a rigged card-shuffling machine, hidden cameras, and glasses designed to detect invisible markings on cards.
Evidence includes body-worn camera footage, electronic evidence from devices and iCloud accounts, and extensive financial records.
In a significant federal case unfolding in Brooklyn, twelve defendants, including NBA Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and former player Damon Jones, are set to enter plea agreements related to rigged poker games that allegedly netted over $7 million. Both Billups and Jones have pleaded not guilty to charges of money laundering and wire fraud conspiracy, while the government has amassed a staggering amount of evidence, including over 100,000 pages of financial records and surveillance footage. The trial date for Billups, Jones, and their co-defendants is scheduled for November 2, 2026, following an FBI crackdown on illegal gambling schemes that began in October 2025.