NEWYou can now listen to Pakinomist articles!
Chauncey Billups has hired celebrity attorney Marc Mukasey, who previously defended President Donald Trump, to represent him in the federal investigation into alleged illegal gambling. The Athletic was the first to report the news, and Mukasey confirmed in an email to Pakinomist Digital.
Mukasey represented Trump and his organization in numerous cases, including when the New York Attorney General sued Trump, alleging that his charity was used for personal and political purposes, and when Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. subpoenaed Trump’s accounting firm, Mazars USA, for tax returns and financial records as part of a federal grand jury investigation.
Mukasey also represented FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried during the fraud and conspiracy convictions, as well as Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher, who was acquitted of murder.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON Pakinomist
Marc Mukasey, attorney for Trevor Milton, founder of Nikola Corp., leaves court in New York, Monday, Sept. 12, 2022. (Stephen Yang/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Clippers head coach is currently charged with conspiracy to commit both wire fraud and money laundering for knowingly competing in and profiting from rigged poker games.
Billups was allegedly dubbed one of the “face cards,” who the indictment stated were “members of the fraud squads and received a portion of the criminal proceeds in exchange for their participation in the scheme.” The scheme resulted in victims losing at least $7.15 million dating back to April 2019, according to the Justice Department.
Billups was “used to attract victims to the games because of [his] status as former professional athletes,” the DOJ said.
Billups was one of five defendants who “organized and participated in rigged poker games” in Las Vegas “using a rigged mixing machine” in which the victims lost at least $50,000. One of the defendants texted another co-conspirator that Billups should intentionally lose a hand to avoid suspicion of cheating.
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups watches from the sidelines during the first half against the San Antonio Spurs at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon, on April 6, 2025. (Soobum Im/Imagn Images)
WHO ARE CHAUNCEY BILLUPS, TERRY ROZIER AND DAMON JONES? NBA SUBJECT ARRESTED IN ILLEGAL HAZARD DEVICE
During that game, a defendant said one of the victims had “acted like he wanted Chauncey to have his money” because he was “star struck” by Billups, according to officials.
In October 2020, Billups was reportedly netted $50,000 after a rich poker game.
Billups is not listed in the sports betting scandal that led to the arrest of Terry Rozier. However, the DOJ cited a Trail Blazers-Chicago Bulls game on March 24, 2023, the day after Terry Rozier’s alleged wrongdoing, in which a co-conspirator, “an NBA coach at the time,” allegedly told a longtime friend who is also charged in the rigged poker scheme that the Blazers draft team would be a better night and that the Blazers draft night would be a better night. best players. The rest of the players had not yet been public information. The team’s top four scorers, including Damian Lillard, did not play that night as other co-conspirators reportedly bet more than $100,000 in total against Portland. The Trail Blazers lost by 28 points.
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups walks to a vehicle after his federal court appearance Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, in Portland, Oregon. (Jenny Kane/AP)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE Pakinomist APP
The “co-conspirator” in question is listed as a former NBA player whose career spanned from “approximately 1997 to 2014” and “an NBA coach since at least 2021.” Only Billups meets that criteria.
Billups, through a statement from his attorney, denied any wrongdoing. He, along with Terry Rozier, was placed on immediate leave from the Clippers, “and we will continue to cooperate with the appropriate authorities.”
“The integrity of our game remains our top priority,” the NBA said.
