"Portland Trail Blazers coach and basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges he profited from rigged poker games involving several mafia figures and at least one other former NBA player. Billups, who won a championship with the Detroit Pistons as a player, was arraigned in a federal court in New York City on money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy charges, both of which carry a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison."
"Billups's attorney, Chris Heywood, has said his client is a man of integrity and denies the charges. To believe that Chauncey Billups did what the federal government is accusing him of is to believe that he would risk his Hall of Fame legacy, his reputation and his freedom. He would not jeopardize those things for anything, let alone a card game, Heywood said after Billups appeared in federal court in Portland, Oregon, when prosecutors first announced the indictment on 23 October."
"Billups wore a dark gray suit during Monday's brief arraignment and spoke only to answer the judge's yes or no questions. He has been free on bond since his initial court appearance in Oregon. Billups was arguably the most prominent name among more than 30 charged in last month's sprawling federal takedown of illegal gambling operations linked to professional sports."
Chauncey Billups pleaded not guilty to charges of profiting from rigged poker games involving mafia figures and another former NBA player. He was arraigned in New York on money laundering and wire fraud conspiracy charges, each carrying up to 20 years in prison. Some co-defendants face additional counts of running an illegal gambling business and extortion. Billups has been free on bond since his initial Oregon appearance and spoke only to answer yes-or-no questions at the arraignment. His attorney, Chris Heywood, called him a man of integrity and denied the allegations. Prosecutors allege the scheme operated in Manhattan, Las Vegas, Miami and the Hamptons.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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