WATCH: Pro Poker Player Outed Chauncey Billups’s Alleged Poker Scam in Unearthed Podcast Clip from 2023

A professional poker player was onto Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups long before he was accused of being part of a poker scam.

Billups on Thursday was arrested and charged for his alleged role in a Mafia-backed illegal poker scheme. During an FBI press conference, it was revealed that the poker scheme involved sophisticated technology used to rig games for the defendants. Billups, the indictment alleged, served as a “face card” in the operation — a high-profile player to entice would-be victims join the games.

Although Billups was not named in a second indictment focused on sports betting, he’s widely believed to be identified as “Co-Conspirator 8” who allegedly fixed at least one game back in 2023.

That same year, professional poker player Matt Berkey shared a story that went under the radar at the time — but gained renewed attention on Thursday. The story came from his appearance on the podcast Only Friends, and he revealed that he knew other players who had been in games with Billups. Based on what they told him, he was certain of foul play.

According to Berkey, what tipped him off to the operation was the fact that the professional players were all losing. The other players on the table repeatedly made questionable moves showing their lack of experience at such a high-stakes table.

“It obviously, like, was for sure confirmed to be cheated. Like, people who clearly didn’t even understand the rules of no limit and hold’em are just like jamming hundreds of big blinds in with, like, a gutty and then just drilling it. Only the pros are losing.”

Although Berkey said it was agreed among the pros that the game was illegitimate, it was determined that outing him would be a futile effort because of his Billups’s fame and influence.

“This guy beat rape charges,” Berkey said. “You think he cares about you calling him a cheater?”