Federal prosecutors have accused Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups of taking part in a rigged high-stakes poker scheme that allegedly earned him $50,000, according to court documents obtained by TMZ Sports.
The filings claim that in October 2020, Billups and a group of conspirators cheated a wealthy player by using tampered card shufflers, X-ray tables, and coordinated signals during a poker game.
Investigators say Billupsâ Hall of Fame status helped lure wealthy participants and that he was wired $50,000 after the plan succeeded.
The documents also implicate former Cleveland Cavaliers guard Damon Jones, who was allegedly recruited for similar purposes and once requested a $10,000 advance for his role.
Prosecutors cited text messages from a September 2023 poker game showing Jones communicating with others using coded references to Steph Curry and LeBron James as part of the scheme.
Both Billups and Jones were arrested Thursday. The Trail Blazers placed Billups on immediate administrative leave, while Jones – no longer employed in the NBA since 2019 – also faces charges in a separate sports betting investigation.
Feds Say Chauncey Billups Got $50K For 1 Poker Game, Court Docs Also Reference NBA Stars | Click to read more đ https://t.co/3pG9ye683S pic.twitter.com/MHxzl1Y84g
— TMZ Sports (@TMZ_Sports) October 23, 2025
