NBA gambling case: new allegations against Terry Rozier
Federal prosecutors have brought new allegations against Terry Rozier in the ongoing NBA gambling investigation. According to court filings, he allegedly accepted a $100,000 bribe to influence a game in 2023
The NBA gambling scandal continues to expand, and once again the spotlight has fallen on Terry Rozier, the former Miami Heat guard who was with the Charlotte Hornets at the time of the alleged events.
According to a report from Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic, federal prosecutors have added serious new allegations, claiming that Rozier accepted a purported $100,000 payment in 2023 to influence the outcome of an NBA game.
The alleged scheme
The central allegation revolves around a March 23, 2023 matchup between the Charlotte Hornets and the New Orleans Pelicans.
According to investigators, Rozier allegedly informed an acquaintance, Deniro Laster, ahead of time that he planned to leave the game after only a few minutes. That information was then allegedly passed along to a group of bettors.
The goal, according to prosecutors, was to capitalize on his early exit by placing wagers on the “under” for his statistical performance.
Investigators further claim that Rozier cited a leg injury as the reason for leaving the game, but allege that the injury explanation served as a cover story.
New federal charges
The indictment filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York includes allegations of:
- Sports bribery
- Wire fraud conspiracy
- Sharing confidential information to manipulate betting outcomes
- Honest services fraud
In total, Rozier now faces four federal charges.
Key statements in the investigation
One significant development comes from another individual implicated in the case, Marves Fairley, who reportedly testified in court:
I agreed to pay an NBA player to alter his performance
Marves Fairley
According to prosecutors, Rozier is that player. Fairley has also entered guilty pleas to two charges connected to the investigation.
Rozier’s defense: “Charges built to target him”
Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, forcefully rejected the new allegations, describing them as weak and based on unreliable testimony.
There are desperate men involved in this case, with serious criminal histories and a lot to lose. They know what to say to satisfy prosecutors
Jim Trusty
He added:
The new indictment confirms that our motion to dismiss was correct: these are simply new theories in the hope that something sticks
Jim Trusty
In the game at the center of the investigation, Rozier played only 9 minutes and 34 seconds, scoring five points – well below his season averages of more than 21 points and 35 minutes per game.
Following that incident, his NBA career reportedly took a significant downturn. He was later waived and subsequently arrested last October.
A scandal involving multiple NBA figures
The case extends beyond Rozier. According to the investigation, other names connected to the NBA have also surfaced, including Chauncey Billups and Damon Jones, both of whom have reportedly come under scrutiny as part of the broader federal gambling probe.
At this stage, all defendants have pleaded not guilty, and no official trial date has been set.
The battle now shifts to the courtroom, where investigators will attempt to prove whether this was truly an organized effort to manipulate NBA events or whether the allegations ultimately fail to hold up against the evidence.