Prosecutors to extend formal plea agreements in poker case

"prosecutors in the federal case into rigged poker games that has ensnared NBA Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and former NBA player Damon Jones said in a brief submitted on Tuesday that they expect to extend formal plea agreements to 12 of the 31 defendants in the case and are "reasonably optimistic" they'll reach plea agreements with nine others before the case goes to trial."

"the government said the evidence includes body worn camera footage, records concerning the defendants' arrests, electronic evidence seized from seven electronic devices and Apple iCloud accounts; over 100,000 pages of financial records and telephone records; over 800 pages of surveillance photographs; and pole camera footage from 147 Lexington Avenue in Manhattan, one of the sites of the alleged rigged poker games."

"Billups has been on unpaid, administrative leave from his job as head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers since his arrest. He plead not guilty to the money laundering and wire fraud charges against him in November."

Federal prosecutors are pursuing plea agreements in a case involving 31 defendants accused of operating rigged poker games, including NBA Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and former NBA player Damon Jones. Prosecutors expect to formally offer plea deals to 12 defendants and are optimistic about reaching agreements with nine others before trial. All defendants appeared at a status hearing in federal court. The government has compiled extensive evidence including body camera footage, arrest records, electronic data from seven devices and Apple iCloud accounts, over 100,000 pages of financial and telephone records, 800 pages of surveillance photographs, and pole camera footage from a Manhattan location. Billups pleaded not guilty to money laundering and wire fraud charges in November and remains on $5 million bail.

Read at ESPN.com