Bombshell Indictment Alleges Chauncey Billups Participated in Mob Poker Scheme AND Tanked an NBA Game as Coach
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups listens during a news conference, Friday, June 27, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups stands accused of fixing an NBA game in addition to his already-reported involvement in a Mafia-backed poker scam.
On Thursday morning, Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, and former player and coach Damon Jones were all arrested in connection with a pair of federal indictments involving illegal gambling operations. Billups was allegedly involved in a poker scheme with ties to the Mafia, while Rozier was accused to being involved in an operation that involved him throwing games; and Jones was listed in both indictments.
According to the sports betting indictment, Rozier — as well as ex-NBA player Jontay Porter — told co-conspirators to place “under” bets on them before they left games early with supposed injuries. Jontay was banned following a league investigation into his actions.
Billups, on the other hand, was not named in that indictment.
Not explicitly, that is.
Yahoo Sports reporter Dan Devine posted on X/Twitter that he came across a passage in the indictment that appeared to clearly reference Billups. Although the coach was not named, the individual identified as “Co-Conspirator 8” was described as an Oregon resident who played in the NBA from 1997 to 2014. The indictment also states that this individual has been an NBA coach since “at least 2021.”
Billups played from 1997 to 2014. His served as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers in 2020 before being named the Blazers’ head coach in 2021.
According to the indictment, Co-Conspirator 8 informed one of the other defendants in 2023 that his team was tanking — deliberately trying to lose as much as possible to secure a higher position in the NBA Draft. As part of those tanking efforts, the coach said that several of the team’s best players would not be playing in a March 24 game between the Blazers and the Chicago Bulls. As noted in the indictment, the information that these players would be sitting out was not available to the public.
This information was relayed to other co-conspirators, and bets against the Blazers were placed. They totaled more than $100,000.
The Bulls went on to win the game 124-96.
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