Overview
- Federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York charged 31 people in late October over an alleged 2019–2023 rigged private-poker scheme, naming Chauncey Billups, and the Trail Blazers suspended and replaced him after his arrest.
- The Sporting News author, a former Las Vegas professional, says he played with Tyronn Lue and found him a solid player rather than an easy target.
- Lue’s presence at a Billups-linked private game and his being marketed as a “whale” were reported by Pablo Torre, with the essay noting such promotion may happen without a player’s awareness.
- The author recounts friends-of-friends claiming six-figure cheating losses in a game tied to Billups and says Lue’s reputation in poker circles is comparatively positive.
- The piece explains how private, invitation-only games offer discretion and curated lineups yet expose participants to greater risks of cheating, robbery, nonpayment and legal trouble.