The multi-defendant mob gambling criminal case known as Operation Royal Flush — a case that has close ties to NBA coaches and former players — has had a trial date floated.
During a hearing in Brooklyn federal court on Wednesday (Mar. 4), Judge Ramon E. Reyes, Jr. revealed that he is set on bringing the multi-defendant case to trial in the fall.
“I would like to try this case on November second,” he said. “That’s where we’re headed.”
All of the case’s defendants were present at the hearing, including suspended Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and former NBA player and coach Damon Jones.
A letter filed by prosecutors on Tuesday (Mar. 3) revealed that plea deals for a dozen of the case’s 31 defendants will be offered “in the coming days.” In addition, discussions are ongoing with “at least” another nine.
“[T]he government is reasonably optimistic that those conversations will lead to pretrial resolutions as to those defendants,” the document reads.
But while the number of defendants may soon decrease due to plea deals, it also may increase as well. Prosecutor Irisa Chen said at Wednesday’s hearing that the government’s investigation is ongoing, and that evidence they’re looking at “will implicate additional defendants.”
The case involves a series of high-stakes poker games allegedly put on by a number of Mafia families that prosecutors say were fixed via technology like electronic chip trays that could secretly read cards.
High-profile former professional athletes including Jones and Billups were, per the indictment, used as “Face Cards” to draw players in.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for June 11. By that point, both sides will have conferred on how to handle a potential trial, which is likely to involve more defendants than a courtroom can hold at once.