Legal Accusations Against Terry Rozier
In a significant legal development, federal prosecutors have accused NBA player Terry Rozier of accepting a $100,000 bribe designed to influence his performance during a basketball game, as part of a broader gambling conspiracy. On Thursday, the authorities unveiled a new indictment that includes charges of bribery and conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, identifying both the NBA and Rozier’s former team, the Charlotte Hornets, as victims of this alleged scheme.
Denial of Involvement
Rozier has consistently denied any involvement in the alleged activities. His attorney, Jim Trusty from Ifrah Law, previously filed a motion in December seeking the case’s dismissal, asserting that the government had exceeded its bounds.
“The new indictment simply underscores the validity of our dismissal motion—there are fresh charges and theories proposed, but they are merely an unfortunate attempt to establish a case,”
expressed Trusty in comments to ESPN.
Details of the Indictment
While the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of New York opted not to offer any remarks regarding the indictment, the accusations are serious. The charges suggest that Rozier intended to exploit a leg injury he sustained during the latter part of the 2022-23 NBA season to excuse his absence from a crucial game against the New Orleans Pelicans on March 23, 2023.
The indictment reveals that Rozier communicated with co-defendant Deniro Laster, indicating he would not participate in the game due to his injury. Laster then allegedly relayed this information to various gamblers, leading to over $258,700 in bets being placed under the premise that Rozier’s statistics would not be favorable.
Unexpected Performance
In a twist, Rozier played for just over nine minutes, concluding the match with a modest tally of five points, four rebounds, and two assists, which ultimately resulted in many bets winning. Following this unexpectedly strong performance, Rozier reportedly initiated discussions to lower the alleged bribe to $70,000 since his four rebounds contributed to some bettors losing.
Broader Conspiracy Charges
Rozier is among six individuals charged in October with involvement in the conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. Recently, co-defendant Marves Fairley entered a guilty plea regarding the betting scandal, alongside former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones, who has also admitted guilt in connection with this case.
Current Status
As for Rozier’s current status, he was traded to the Miami Heat in January 2024 but was waived by the team shortly thereafter in April.
