Ex-NBA player Terry Rozier pleads not guilty to new charges in alleged gambling scheme - BERITAJA

NBA journeyman Terry Rozier pleaded not blameworthy Wednesday to caller charges of sports bribery and honorable services ligament fraud conspiracy, stemming from his alleged domiciled successful a sprawling sports betting scheme.

Federal prosecutors successful Brooklyn claimed that Rozier solicited and accepted a $100,000 bribe successful speech for tipping disconnected a group of bettors about his scheme to time off a crippled early owed to an injury.

Rozier was playing for the Charlotte Hornets and logged conscionable 9 1/2 minutes during a March 23, 2023, crippled successful New Orleans earlier checking retired pinch an alleged injury.

He scored much than 21 points per crippled successful 2022-23 but only netted 5 points that evening successful the Big Easy.

Rozier wore a grey suit and appeared relaxed during his quality earlier Magistrate Judge Lara K. Eshkenazi successful Brooklyn.

The seasoned guard created a “predetermined bribe arrangement” pinch different co-defendants, including Marves Fairley and De’Niro Laster, to retreat from the crippled truthful lucrative wagers could beryllium placed, according to the superseding indictment.

Rozier allegedly played amended than anticipated and collected 4 rebounds during the game, causing his bribe to driblet to $70,000, prosecutors said.

Terry Rozier pinch the Charlotte Hornets successful 2023.Kate Frese / NBAE via Getty Images file

Federal prosecutors besides declare successful the caller indictment that Rozier deprived the NBA and the Hornets “of the intangible correct of the honorable and religious services of Rozier done bribery and kickbacks,” according to the superseding indictment.

Co-defendant Laster wore a achromatic fastener down garment and looked consecutive up during about of his quality He besides pleaded not blameworthy to the bribery-related charges connected Wednesday.

Co-defendant Shane Hennen was expected to look successful tribunal later connected Wednesday.

De'niro Laster and his lawyer get for his arraignment proceeding astatine Brooklyn Federal Court connected Dec. 8, 2025 successful New York.Charly Triballeau / AFP via Getty Images

Rozier already faces 2 national charges -- conspiracy to perpetrate ligament fraud and conspiracy to perpetrate money laundering -- from the first indictment revenge past year. Rozier was accused of leaking nonpublic accusation about his scheme to underperform astatine the 2023 game.

The fraudulent wagers resulted successful tens of thousands of dollars successful profits for bettors, prosecutors said.

Rozier pleaded not blameworthy past twelvemonth to the first charges. In December, Rozier requested that the lawsuit beryllium dismissed, arguing that the authorities had overstepped by charging him pinch fraud.

The judge presiding complete the lawsuit has yet to norm connected Rozier’s petition to propulsion retired the case.

Last year, national prosecutors successful the Eastern District of New York brought 2 monolithic forbidden gambling cases: One involving the rigging of Mafia-backed poker games and the different about utilizing insider accusation to spot bets connected NBA games.

Together, the 2 alleged criminal operations generated complete $10 cardinal successful ill-gotten gains, according to prosecutors.

More than 30 people, including members and associates of 4 awesome Mafia crime families, Portland Trail Blazers caput coach Chauncey Billups and ex-NBA subordinate Damon Jones, person been ensnared successful the scheme.

Portland Trail Blazers caput coach Chauncey Billups connected Oct. 8, 2025.John Hefti / Imagn Images file

Billups has maintained his innocence.

Jones pleaded blameworthy successful April successful national court, wherever he admitted feeding wrong accusation to bettors and helping orchestrate fixed poker games.

He is group to beryllium sentenced early adjacent year.