Chauncey Billups Arraigned in Court on Money Laundering, Wire Fraud Charges
The scene at Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse in downtown Portland on Thursday afternoon.
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📍PORTLAND, Ore. — On Thursday morning, the entire sports world was rocked by news that the FBI had arrested 34 people, including Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, in connection with two different gambling cases.
Billups was charged with one count of wire-fraud conspiracy and one count of money-laundering conspiracy as part of a case alleging that he was involved in rigging illegal poker games backed by the mafia. He was not named as a defendant in the sports-betting case for which Rozier was indicted, although an unnamed co-conspirator in that case who strongly matches Billups' description is accused of providing insider information about the Blazers planning to sit a player to tank a game in 2023.
Sean Highkin
"Anyone who knows Chauncey Billups knows he is a man of integrity; men of integrity do not cheat and defraud others," Billups' lawyer, Chris Heywood of Hoffman Law, said in a statement on Thursday. "To believe that Chauncey Billups did what the federal government is accusing him of is to believe that he would risk his hall-of-fame legacy, his reputation, and his freedom. He would not jeopardize those things for anything, let alone a card game. Furthermore, Chauncey Billups has never and would never gamble on basketball games, provide insider information, or sacrifice the trust of his team and the League, as it would tarnish the game he has devoted his entire life to. Chauncey Billups has never backed down. He does not plan to do so now. He will fight these allegations with the same tenacity that marked his 28-year career. We look forward to our day in court."
Earlier Thursday, Billups was arraigned on the charges at Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse in downtown Portland, and then released on bond.
Here's how the afternoon unfolded at the courthouse.
