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Chauncey Billups hired renowned lawyer Mark Mukesi to defend the president. Donald Trump in the past represented him in a federal investigation into alleged illegal gambling. The Athletic first reported the news, and Mukasey confirmed it in an email to Fox News Digital.
Mukasey represented Trump and his organization in several cases, including when New York Attorney General sued Trump, alleging his charitable work was being used for personal and political gain, 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 his sentencing on fraud and conspiracy charges, as well as Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher, who was acquitted of murder.
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Mark Mukasey, lawyer for Trevor Milton, founder of Nikola Corp., leaves court in New York on Monday, September 12, 2022. (Stephen Young/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers is now charged with conspiracy to commit both crimes. fraud and money laundering for knowingly participating in and benefiting from fraudulent poker games.
Billups was allegedly called one of “face cards” who, according to the indictment, were “members of the fraudulent teams and received a portion of the proceeds of crime in exchange for their participation in the scheme.” The scheme has caused victims to lose at least $7.15 million since April 2019, according to the Justice Department.
Billups “was used to lure victims into gambling because [his] status of former professional athletes,” the Ministry of Justice said.
Billups was one of five defendants who “organized and participated in rigged poker games” in Vegas “using a rigged shuffling machine” causing victims to lose at least $50,000. One of the defendants wrote to another co-conspirator that Billups should deliberately lose his arm to avoid suspicion of fraud.
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups watches from the sidelines during the first half of a game against the San Antonio Spurs at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon on April 6, 2025. (Soobum Im/Imagn Images)
During that game, the defendant said, one of the victims “acted as if he wanted Chauncey to get his money” because Billups “starred” him, according to officials.
In October 2020, Billups was allegedly wired $50,000 following a fraudulent poker game.
Billups is not involved in the sports betting scandal that led to Terry Rozier's arrest. However, the DOJ cited the Trail Blazers-Chicago Bulls game on March 24, 2023, the day after Terry Rozier's alleged offense in which a co-conspirator, “an NBA coach at the time,” allegedly told his longtime friend, who is also a defendant in the rigged poker scheme, that the Blazers would “tank” that night for the top draft pick and will select some of the team's best players. No public information has yet been provided about the players' rest. The team's four leading scorers, including Damian Lillard, did not play that night as other associates allegedly bet a total of more than $100,000 against Portland. The Trail Blazers lost by 28 points.
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups walks to his car after his appearance in federal court Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, in Portland, Oregon. (Jenny Kane/AP)
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The “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 this criterion.
Billups denied any wrongdoing in a statement from his lawyer. He, along with Terry Rozier, were placed on leave from the Clippers immediately, “and we will continue to cooperate with the appropriate authorities.”
“The integrity of our game remains our top priority,” the NBA said.
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