Could Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and former NBA guard Damon Jones be nearing a plea deal in their federal gambling trial?
Prosecutors in the case over allegedly rigged poker games said in a brief Tuesday they anticipate formal plea agreements with 12 of the 31 defendants. What’s more, they are ‘reasonably optimistic’ they can reach formal plea deals with the nine others before the case goes to trial.
There is a status hearing scheduled for Wednesday in Brooklyn.
It’s unclear if Billups, who is on leave as Portland Trail Blazers head coach, or Jones are nearing a plea deal. The Daily Mail has reached out to attorneys for both former NBA guards. They are facing charges of money laundering and wire fraud conspiracy, which each carry maximum sentences of 20 years in prison.
According to prosecutors, Billups and Jones were used as ‘face cards’ to lure unsuspecting gamblers to rigged poker games in an alleged $7million scheme. They have both pleaded not guilty.
Jones is also a defendant in a related case involving Miami Heat player Terry Rozier. The current NBA guard is accused of conspiring with gamblers as a member of the Charlotte Hornets in 2023 by deliberately removing himself from a game against the Memphis Grizzlies, thereby allowing alleged accomplices to win prop bets on his performance.
Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups walks away from an October court appearance
Former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones, left, leaves court in October
Rozier, who remains on leave from the team, has also pleaded not guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges.
In that case, Jones is accused of providing inside injury information to gamblers.
Until Tuesday, little was known publicly about the evidence in the case, much of which has been sealed.
But in Tuesday’s brief, federal prosecutors referred to a body of evidence that includes camera footage, 100,000 pages of financial and telephone records, digital records, and more than 800 pages of surveillance photographs.
Since being released on $5 million bail, Billups has been living in his native Colorado, according to ESPN.
Wednesday’s hearing is scheduled for 2pm local time in Brooklyn.
