Trial Date For Rigged Poker Case Defendants Moved To Late November

A federal judge in New York issued an order Monday to continue the start of the trial in the rigged poker case involving former Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups from Nov. 2 to Nov. 30.

Per the order, the trial date is for 31 defendants accused of organizing or participating in mob-sanctioned, high-stakes poker games that used famous athletes such as Billups to draw in players. The tables for the games were rigged for cheating.

The text-only order was docketed Tuesday.

The order was in response to a request from federal prosecutors for a delay. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York (EDNY) on July 22 requested the trial date be moved to 2027 because 26 defendants have already either pled guilty, have change-of-plea hearings scheduled, or are in “serious plea negotiations” with prosecutors.

Prosecutors said the negotiations would likely “result in a disposition of the case short of trial.” If all of the plea deals move forward, there would be five defendants remaining.

Per previous reports, Billups was used as a “face card” to attract players to the games, but he may not have had knowledge of the full conspiracy.

Judge lays out trial schedule

In addition to the ongoing negotiations, prosecutors wrote that three of the four assistant U.S. attorneys would not be available to try cases through most of November due to conflicts or personal leave.

Judge Ramon E. Reyes appeared to meet prosecutors halfway — extending the trial date by about a month. Reyes also laid out a schedule leading up to trial:

Sept. 25: Pretrial motions due

Oct. 9: Oppositions due and preliminary jury instructions due

Oct. 16: Opposition responses due

Nov. 30: Jury selection and trial to begin and run through Dec. 18

Dec. 21: Trial to resume through Dec. 23, if needed

Dec. 28: Trial to resume through Dec. 30, if needed

Per the order on the docket, “adjournments or extensions highly unlikely.”

Two defendants question Count One

On Wednesday, attorney Jeremy Iandolo, who is representing Ernest Aiello, sent a letter to the court requesting his client join motions filed by co-defendant Lee Fama. “Among the motions is Count One improperly alleges a single wire fraud conspiracy when the factual allegations instead describe multiple independent conspiracies lacking the common objective, interdependence, and agreement necessary to constitute a single conspiracy,” reads the letter. “Rather than alleging a single overarching conspiracy, the Indictment alleges what the Supreme Court has characterized as a ‘rimless wheel’ conspiracy. See Kotteakos v. United States, 328 U.S. 750 (1946). For the reasons thoroughly set forth in Mr. Fama's motion, Count One is impermissibly duplicitous and fails to allege a legally sufficient single conspiracy.”

The full list of defendants that prosecutors believe will plead out is not publicly available, though former NBA player Damon Jones, who was indicted in two illegal gambling cases, in April changed his plea to guilty.