Federal prosecutors plan to bring a new bribery charge against NBA player Terry Rozier in the wide-reaching gambling scheme case.
Key Takeaways
- Rozier is alleged to have solicited and accepted a bribe.
- The former Miami Heat guard pleaded not guilty to his original fraud charges.
- Prosecutors plan to file the new charges in the coming weeks.
Rozier is already facing fraud charges from last October’s federal indictment. In court on Monday, a lawyer for the U.S. Eastern District of New York said there is new evidence that alleges Rozier solicited and accepted a bribe, according to a report from The New York Times.
The former Miami Heat guard is accused of depriving “the NBA and the Charlotte Hornets of Mr. Rozier’s honest services,” a prosecutor said.
The announcement to seek bribery charges came after Rozier’s attorney asked a federal judge to dismiss the case. The new charges will be filed in mid-May and brought to a grand jury.
Rozier is scheduled to appear in court on June 10 for an update on his case.
Enjoying Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account
Original charges
Rozier was arrested just after the NBA season started for wire fraud and money laundering. He was released on a $3-million bond and pleaded not guilty in December.
According to the initial federal indictment, Rozier tipped off a friend, Deniro Laster, that he would exit a game early in March 2023, claiming an injury, when Rozier played for the Charlotte Hornets.
Laster informed a group of bettors who are linked to the Jontay Porter and NCAA basketball gambling scandals. Using that information, the group placed more than $200,000 in wagers on the unders for Rozier’s player props.
Rozier and Laster received a portion of the winnings and allegedly counted the cash at Rozier’s home. Rozier was placed on unpaid leave by the NBA following his arrest, and the Heat released the guard earlier this month.
Another case
Damon Jones, a former player and assistant coach in the NBA, was also named and charged in the October 2025 indictment. He’s expected to plead guilty on Tuesday to charges of providing bettors with injury information for profit.
Jones initially pleaded not guilty, but requested a change-of-plea hearing earlier this month. He’s also charged, along with suspended Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, with rigging a poker game with the mob. Jones has pleaded not guilty to that charge.
