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A federal judge in the Eastern District of New York has delayed the alleged rigged poker trial involving Chauncey Billups and six other defendants until March 8, 2027.
The case had been scheduled for jury selection and trial on Nov. 30. According to Casino Reports, Judge Ramon E. Reyes Jr. moved the date after a scheduling conflict arose for the legal team representing defendant Lee Fama. The court said March 8 was the earliest available date that worked for the court and all defense counsel, and Reyes estimated the trial would last four weeks.
New York federal court resets the trial calendar
The postponement affects Billups and fellow defendants Ernest Aiello, Matthew Daddino, Eric Earnest, Lee Fama, Thomas Gelardo, and Curtis Meeks. Billups, Aiello, Daddino, Earnest, Fama, and Gelardo attended the status conference, while Meeks was represented by his attorney.
The court also set a series of pretrial deadlines ahead of the new trial date:
- Motions in limine must be served by Dec. 18
- Responses are due Jan. 15, 2027
- Replies and fully briefed motions must be filed by Jan. 22, 2027
- Joint voir dire, joint request to charge, verdict sheet, and exhibits are due Feb. 16
Case stems from alleged mafia-run private poker games
The delay does not change the underlying allegations. The FBI announced last October that Billups and 30 others had been arrested in connection with alleged mafia-run private poker games that allegedly used hidden technology to cheat certain players.
Prosecutors previously described Billups as one of the celebrity “face cards” allegedly used to attract victims to the games. In March, prosecutors extended plea deals to a dozen defendants, but Billups was not among those who reached an agreement.
Billups pleaded not guilty last November and was released on a $5 million bond.
For New York readers following gambling enforcement cases, the next date to watch is March 8, 2027, when jury selection is now set to begin in federal court.
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Source: As reported by Eric Raskin.
