NBA news: Chauncey Billups hires Trump’s former lawyer in gambling probe

Chauncey Billups has hired renowned attorney Marc Mukasey, who has defended President Donald Trump in the past, 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 Fox News Digital.

Mukasey represented Trump and his organization in several cases, including when the New York attorney general sued Trump, alleging 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 state grand jury investigation.

Mukasey also represented FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried during sentencing on fraud and conspiracy charges, as well as Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher, who was acquitted of murder.

The Los Angeles Clippers head coach is currently facing charges of conspiracy to commit both wire fraud and money laundering for knowingly competing in, and benefiting from, rigged poker games.

Billups was allegedly dubbed one of the “face cards,” which the indictment stated were “members of the Cheating Teams 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 Department of Justice.

Billups was “utilized 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 shuffling machine,” with victims losing at least $50,000. One of the defendants texted another co-conspirator that Billups should intentionally lose a hand to avoid cheating suspicions.

WHO ARE CHAUNCEY BILLUPS, TERRY ROZIER AND DAMON JONES? NBA SUBJECTS ARRESTED IN ILLEGAL GAMBLING PROBE

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 allegedly wired $50,000 following a rigged poker game.

Billups is not listed in the sports betting scandal that led to the arrest of Terry Rozier. However, the DOJ mentioned a Trail Blazers–Chicago Bulls matchup 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 a defendant in the rigged poker scheme, that the Blazers would be “tanking” that night for a better draft pick and would sit some of the team’s best players. The resting 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 allegedly wagered more than $100,000 total against Portland. The Trail Blazers lost by 28 points.

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The “co-conspirator” in question is listed as a former NBA player whose career spanned from “approximately 1997 through 2014” and “an NBA coach since at least 2021.” Only Billups fits that criterion.

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 relevant authorities.”

“The integrity of our game remains our top priority,” the NBA said.

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