Chauncey Billups pleads not guilty at NBA gambling arraignment as Trail Blazers coach appears in Brooklyn court
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups has pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in the illegal gambling case that has rocked the NBA.
The five-time NBA All Star, who won a championship as a player with the Detroit Pistons, was arraigned in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn on Monday morning.
All 31 co-defendants, including Billups, remained in the Eastern District of New York courtroom after his arraignment for a status conference, where Judge Ramon E. Reyes said he hopes to start the trial by September of 2026. Some attorneys in the trial previously stated the possibility the case could take ‘years,’ but Reyes on Monday said he ‘hopes to avoid that.’
With that in mind, Reyes scheduled a following status hearing for March 4 at 2pm.
Dressed in a grey blazer, Billups appeared calm alongside his attorney Marc Mukasey, who entered the ‘not guilty’ plea on the 49-year-old Basketball Hall of Famer’s behalf. Outside of answering ‘yes’ to a series of Reyes’ questions about his case, Billups remained quiet over his hour or so in the courtroom.
Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and ex-NBA guard and assistant coach Damon Jones were all arrested last month on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. According to prosecutors, Billups and Jones were used as ‘face cards’ to lure unsuspecting gamblers to rigged poker games in one alleged $7million scheme.
Chauncey Billups has pleaded not guilty in the illegal gambling case that has rocked the NBA
Billups was arrested last month on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering
Meanwhile, Jones and Rozier are accused of providing inside injury information to gamblers in a separate alleged scheme.
Jones, too, was on hand in the Eastern District of New York courtroom for Monday’s status hearing.
Both Billups and Rozier previously declared their innocence in separate statements, while Jones pleaded not guilty to charges in both cases during his two arraignments at a federal court in Brooklyn earlier this month.
Rozier’s arraignment is scheduled for December 8.
With Billups away from the team, the Blazers are currently 7-10 entering the week under interim coach Tiago Splitter.
