In a shocking turn of events, the FBI received indictments for over 30 people linked to an alleged gambling scandal that has left the NBA universe in peril. As part of the investigations, Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups was arrested, along with Miami Heat Guard Terry Rozier and former NBA athlete Damon Jones.
The first indictment is related to sports betting. Via CNN, federal investigators were looking into unusual betting activity related to a March 2023 game played by Rozier for the Charlotte Hornets. Rozier and Billups were arrested in separate but related gambling cases.
Anyone using Sports Betting Apps Should be PISSED!!!
NBA Players Altered their Performance, Faked Injuries and Illnesses, to Manipulate Prop Bets on Sports Betting Platforms
“They placed wagers on unders, for players to score less, rebound less, assist less, using information… https://t.co/4Z2BvotSrh pic.twitter.com/FtvE4EqX8o
As per USA Today, Billups was charged in connection with illegal poker operations linked to the mafia. In the second indictment, 31 defendants, including Billups, were charged with scheming to rig illegal poker games. The charges in this scheme include wire fraud conspiracy, illegal gambling, money laundering, robbery, and extortion.
This is crazy…
🚨 FBI Kash Patel Full Presser:
Historic NBA & Mafia Illegal Gambling and Sports rigging Operation — NBA Players faking illnesses and Injuries
• Wire Fraud, money laundering, extortion, robbery, and illegal gambling
• First indictment involves 6 defendants… https://t.co/nXiHyuOdFO pic.twitter.com/L8ukbnQp1I
Apparently, they used technology like poker chip tray analyzers, contact lenses/glasses made to read pre-marked cards, an X-ray table that could read cards face down, off-the-shelf shuffling machines, and so on.
The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Joseph Nocella Jr., stated that the scheme involved mafia, as members of the Bonano, Gambino, and Genovese crime families controlled the non-rigged, illegal poker games in NYC.
Unsuspecting victims, referred to as “fish”, were lured into participating in the rigged games by Jones and Billups, giving them a chance to play with former professional athletes. The athletes were known as “face cards”. As per Nocella, the “fish didn’t know that everybody else at the poker game, from the dealers to the players – including the face cards – were in on the scam.” This allowed the defendants to easily scam the victims out of tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars per game.
Billups is a family man. He has three daughters with his wife, Piper Billups. Let’s learn a bit more about her.
The Luxurious Life of Chauncey Billups’ Wife, Piper
Chauncey and Piper Billups tied the knot in the early 00s, renewing their vows a decade later in Las Vegas (via the Daily Mail). While Piper leads a fairly private life, the luxurious life she enjoys as the coach’s wife is no secret.
Billups constantly posts his wife on social media, revealing the grand gestures he often makes for her. One photo revealed Piper adorned with a stack of three Cartier love bracelets, each costing anywhere between $5,000 and $50,000.
A post shared by Chauncey Billups (@1mrbigshot)
Their tenth anniversary came with an extravagant celebration in Las Vegas, where they renewed their vows. Apparently, the weekend involved dining at the MGM’s Pearl restaurant and a trip to the Boom Box Room at the premiere Marquee Club in the Cosmopolitan Hotel.
The daughters – Cydney, Ciara, and Canaiya – also post their luxurious lives on their social media, including trips to Japan, the Amalfi Coast, Dubai, and so on. All three girls have turned their Instagram profiles private following their father’s arrest.
As for Piper, she first met Billups in high school when he attended George Washington High School. She is a realtor, owning a real estate business in Denver, Colorado (via Sports Illustrated).
Chauncey Billups Has Been Released Following His Arrest
Chauncey Billups was released after appearing in front of Judge Jolie Russo in U.S. District Court, Portland, Ore, on Thursday. He will soon appear in the Eastern District Court in NY on November 24 (via the NY Times). He was seen exiting the courthouse in a brown hoodie and gray sweatpants.
Chauncey Billups leaving the courthouse in Portland, Oregon 👀
He was arrested early Thursday morning as part of a federal investigation into illegal gambling activities. pic.twitter.com/OGjRNmeHyG
As per the terms and conditions, Billups has agreed to travel restrictions and has forfeited his passport. Meanwhile, the rules set by the government and his lawyers prohibit him from gambling as well. Piper and Cydney were present at the hearing.
His attorney, Chris Heywood, called him a “man of integrity” and claimed,
Men of integrity do not cheat and defraud others. He will fight these allegations with the same tenacity that marked his 28-year career. We look forward to our day in court.
On the other hand, Billups matches the description of the person labeled as a co-conspirator in the case. The description states that the person is an Oregon resident who played in the NBA from 1997 to 2014 and became a coach in 2021, just like Billups.
While we wait for the events to unfold, let us know what you think of the mess the NBA has found itself in in the comments section below. Make sure to follow FandomWire for updates!
