Professional basketball faces a major integrity crisis after the arrest of a high-profile head coach and Hall of Famer. Chauncey Billups, coach, long celebrated for a championship past, was among more than 30 people detained across eleven states in a sweeping FBI operation targeting illegal gambling and organized crime.
The crackdown, which also saw the arrest of an active guard and a former player, unfolded just hours after the league opened its 2025–26 season. The timing sent shockwaves across the United States and through passionate fan communities in Asia.
According to federal indictments unsealed in New York, agents uncovered two separate, multimillion-dollar criminal schemes. The first case alleges a conspiracy to run high-stakes, fixed poker games tied to Italian-American organized crime groups, commonly known as La Cosa Nostra. The head coach is charged in this case.
Rigged Betting Allegations
Prosecutors claim Chauncey Billups and the former player acted as high-profile “Face Cards,” using their celebrity status to draw wealthy targets, called “fish,” into manipulated games at exclusive venues in Las Vegas, Miami, Manhattan, and the Hamptons.
Court papers describe a sophisticated cheating setup, not a simple hustle. The alleged tools included modified self-shuffling machines programmed to read cards and forecast winning hands, hidden cameras inside chip trays, eyewear capable of reading marked cards, and even X-ray poker tables to scan face-down cards.
Federal prosecutors say these methods drained victims of more than 7 million dollars from at least 2019.
The operation relied on precise coordination. Co-conspirators, including the public figures at the table, allegedly received real-time tips from an off-site operator who monitored the video and device feeds. The charges against Chauncey Billups include money laundering and wire fraud conspiracy, each carrying a potential sentence of up to 20 years.
The second case, described as “Operation Nothing but Bet,” focuses on defrauding legal sportsbooks using confidential, non-public information about player availability and team strategy. The wagers focused on prop bets, such as points, rebounds, and assists, rather than final scores.
While the head coach is not charged in this indictment, filings reference a figure described as a professional basketball player from the late 1990s through 2014 and a coach since 2021, with an Oregon residence.
The documents allege that this person provided inside information in March 2023 about plans to rest key players as part of a tanking approach to improve draft lottery odds. Bettors allegedly used that knowledge to place successful wagers against the team, totalling about 100,000 dollars.
The active guard is charged in the second case for allegedly sharing details about his own availability, including leaving a game early in March 2023 due to a claimed injury. Prosecutors say this allowed others to profit on the under for his stat lines.
Immediate League Response
The basketball league moved fast, placing both the head coach and the active guard on immediate leave while the legal process unfolds.
Federal officials called the fraud sweeping in scope, spanning years and involving tens of millions in suspected losses. A lawyer for one of the accused criticized the arrests, saying agents opted for a public spectacle rather than a professional self-surrender.
For fans in Southeast Asia, where Basketball enjoys strong support and regulated betting is closely watched, the case highlights how elite sport can be exposed to criminal pressure. The alleged ties to La Cosa Nostra raise the stakes, bringing a level of illegality that goes far beyond ordinary betting offences.
The mix of celebrity, advanced cheating technology, and suspected underworld links has produced a storm of scrutiny. At stake is trust in the competition itself, and whether recent results reflected true sporting merit or were influenced by hidden schemes.
With hearings set in federal court in Brooklyn, the basketball world waits for more details. The investigation threatens to stain the reputation of a celebrated figure and reshape how the NBA interacts with the fast-growing sports betting industry.
Chauncey Billups Career
Chauncey Ray Billups, born on 25 September 1976 in Denver, Colorado, became one of basketball’s top point guards across a 17-year run from 1997 to 2014, known for late-game poise and strong leadership.
A McDonald’s All-American at George Washington High School in Denver, Billups shone at the University of Colorado. Across two seasons, he averaged 18.5 points and 5.6 assists. He declared for the 1997 Draft after his second year.
Boston selected Billups with the third pick in 1997. He moved through five teams in his first five seasons and needed time to settle. Everything changed in Detroit in 2002. As the Pistons’ starting point guard, he earned the nickname “Mr. Big Shot” for clutch makes in tight moments.
In 2004, Billups steered Detroit to the title against the star-stacked Lakers and won Finals MVP, averaging 21.0 points and 5.2 assists in the series. He made five All-Star teams from 2006 to 2010, landed three All-Star selections, and led one of the league’s toughest defences.
Traded to Denver in 2008, Billups returned to his hometown and helped the Nuggets reach the 2009 Western Conference Finals. He later joined the Clippers. He retired in 2014 after 1,043 games, with career marks of 15.2 points and 5.4 assists per game.
After stints in broadcasting, Billups moved into coaching. He served as head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers from 2021 to 2023. He now works in the Minnesota Timberwolves’ front office. He entered the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024.
