Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups on Monday pleaded not guilty to a two-count federal indictment accusing him of participating in a brazen scheme to rig underground poker games backed by the Mafia.
Billups is charged with wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy.
Judge Ramon Reyes set bond at $5 million, secured by Billups’ home in Greenwood Village, Colorado. The conditions of his bond package dictate that he cannot have contact with witnesses, victims, co-conspirators or co-defendants.
He also cannot gamble or associate with any members of organized crime.
Billups was surrounded by reporters and cameras as he left the federal courthouse Monday alongside his attorney, his wife and one of his daughters.
The arraignment was followed by a status conference for 31 of his co-defendants in the alleged cheating case, dubbed “Operation Royal Flush” by federal investigators.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Gibaldi told the court that his office has already started plea discussions with several of the defendants.
The government continues to collect materials from the defendants, including documents, photos, records from searches, cell phone content and iCloud information that totals one terabyte of data.
The case is so sprawling that prosecutors suggested breaking it up into three groups of defendants — but several defense attorneys immediately shot down that proposal. Reyes, for his part, said he wants the defendants to be tried together for now.
Reyes also dismissed defense attorneys’ suggestion that the complex case could take years to go through the legal system, saying he wants to move it along and begin the trial by next September. He told the room of attorneys to “do what you have to do.”
The defendants are accused of participating in a scheme to rig ritzy card games in Manhattan, Las Vegas, Miami and the Hamptons. The suspects allegedly used high-tech cheating gadgets to steal millions of dollars from games backed by four of the Mafia’s “Five Families.”
Billups, a former NBA player and 2004 NBA Finals MVP, allegedly played the role of “Face Card” — a high-profile person who could help attract big-fish gamblers. He was arrested on Oct. 23.
The NBA put Billups on immediate leave after the charges were announced. “We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and the integrity of our game remains our top priority,” the league said in a statement.
Billips has not coached since Oct. 22, the night before he was indicted.
The next hearing is set for March 4 at 2 p.m. ET.
