New York, 25 November 2025 (dpa/MIA) - Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups on Monday pleaded not guilty to charges of wire fraud conspiracy and money-laundering conspiracy in a case that sent shock waves through the world's top basketball league, US media reported.

Billups, who won a title with the Detroit Pistons in 2004 and is in the NBA Hall of Fame, pleaded not guilty in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, US media including broadcasters CNN and CBS News reported.

He appeared alongside 30 other defendants also accused of being involved in a scheme to rig underground poker games allegedly backed by Mafia families.

Billups' bail was set at $5 million, ESPN reporter Ramona Shelburne said.

The NBA coach was the most prominent name in the federal probe into what US authorities say was a series of schemes to use wireless cheating technology to rig illegal poker games.

Billups was originally arrested on October 23 in Oregon and later released on bail and placed on unpaid leave by the Blazers.

That same day, Miami Heat player Terry Rozier was one of six people arrested as part of a separate federal investigation into alleged illegal sports betting.

The active NBA player, who is also out on bail, is due in court on December 8 for his arraignment. At the time of Rozier's arrest, his lawyer said he was not a gambler and that he was looking forward to winning his case. The FBI had initially said that Rozier was not a target in the investigation.

Photo: epa