NBA Stars Entangled in High-Stakes Brooklyn Mafia Court Drama

Chauncey Billups, NBA Hall of Famer and Portland Trail Blazers coach, faces legal battles over accusations of conspiring with the mafia to rig poker games. The case involves 31 defendants, including former players and crime family members, using star power and high-tech equipment to defraud victims of at least $7 million.

In a dramatic turn of events, Portland Trail Blazers coach and NBA Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups faces serious allegations in a Brooklyn federal court on Monday. He's charged in a criminal case with conspiring alongside the mafia to manipulate poker games illicitly.

The case, involving 31 defendants, is part of an extensive investigation that taps into the frightening nexus of celebrity influence and organized crime. Allegations claim Billups and others leveraged their sports fame to attract victims to rigged games using advanced cheating tools. Billups, through his legal team, maintains his innocence amidst these high-profile charges.

This high-stakes legal battle unfolds in the backdrop of rising sports betting in the U.S., with former athletes and mafia members allegedly orchestrating multi-million dollar fraud schemes. Simultaneously, charges were brought against MLB players, broadening the probe's scope beyond the NBA.

(With inputs from agencies.)