Chauncey Billups pleaded not guilty on Monday morning as the federal case involving more than 30 defendants continued to widen, according to reporting from Ramona Shelburne.
Shelburne noted that the court set Billups’ bail at $5 million, secured through his Colorado home, with his wife and daughter co-signing the bond.
Neither Billups nor his attorney, Marc Mukasey, offered public comment as they exited the Brooklyn courthouse.
The next status hearing for all defendants is scheduled for March 4, 2026, with the government preparing to turn over one terabyte of discovery materials.
Billups, 49, has been under federal scrutiny since The Athletic detailed new evidence on October 30 that outlined alleged ties to a mafia-linked poker operation led by convicted felon Eric “Spook” Earnest.
Earnest, 53, has a documented history of drug trafficking and organized-crime activity, and prosecutors say he connected Billups to high-stakes games that spanned New York, Las Vegas, Miami, and the Hamptons.
Investigators describe Billups as a “Face Card,” a term used for individuals whose public stature attracts affluent participants to manipulated poker tables.
Court filings reference advanced cheating methods, including modified shufflers, covert cameras, and specialized contact lenses designed to influence outcomes.
FBI official Christopher G. Raia stated in earlier documents that the operation “exploited the fame of some and the wallets of many to fund New York’s Italian crime families.”
Records show Billups joined Earnest in a Las Vegas card game two months after Earnest completed a federal sentence in 2019.
A detention order cited text messages exchanged among alleged co-conspirators, including messages describing specific hands in rigged games and suggestions about substituting players to manipulate results.
From December 2022 through March 2024, Earnest allegedly obtained confidential team information from Billups and former NBA guard Damon Jones, which co-defendant Marves Fairley is accused of using to place bets.
One cited message claimed Billups disclosed that the Trail Blazers planned to tank a matchup against the Chicago Bulls, allowing participants to position wagers accordingly.
Billups was arrested in October, the same day Terry Rozier was taken into custody in a separate but related investigation.
Rozier secured release by posting a $6 million property bond and, like Billups, must remain in New York while surrendering his passport.
The NBA placed both Billups and Rozier on unpaid leave as legal proceedings move forward.
Portland named Tiago Splitter interim head coach in the wake of Billups’ arrest.
Federal prosecutors have brought charges that include wire fraud, money laundering, and extortion, with additional defendants expected as investigators continue to examine financial and electronic evidence.
