Police arrested former NBA player Marcus Morris Sr. on July 28 at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida for a felony offense of fraud issued in the state of Nevada.
The Broward County Sheriff's Office confirmed the arrest, stating the player was detained on a warrant after he wrote a check for insufficient funds. He was booked in the primary Broward County Jail on no bond and scheduled for an extradition hearing the following day.
Key takeaways
- Marcus Morris Sr. was arrested at a Florida airport on a Nevada warrant for issuing a check with insufficient funds.
- His brother and agent suggested the incident stemmed from an unresolved casino marker, not organized fraud.
- The arrest is the latest in a string of gambling-related legal issues involving sports figures this year.
Public records from the Clerk of Courts of Broward state the offense is a felony, and the arrest appears to involve financial dealings in Nevada. Morris, who played for a number of teams including the L.A. Clippers and most recently with the Cleveland Cavaliers before being waived in July, made no public statement.
However, his twin, Markieff Morris, went on social media to defend his brother, claiming the incident was overstated and criticizing law enforcement's response.
“The wording is crazy. Damn for that amount of money they’ll embarrass you in the airport with your family. They got y’all really thinking bro did some fraud s–t. They could have came to the crib for all that. When y’all hear the real story on this s–t man. All I can say is Lesson learned. Bro will tell y’all tomorrow. This weird s–t gave me a headache. Can’t stop nothin!", Markieff posted on X.
Yony Noy, agent for both brothers, reposted Markieff's remarks and stated the case in question only consisted of a disputed casino marker.
Just so everyone understands this is zero fraud here or whatever crap outlets have said regarding fake checks or whatever the hell. This is due to an outstanding marker with a casino. Apparently if you have over $1,200 they can issue a warrant for your arrest. Absolute insanity! https://t.co/nLT5uCGMcT
— Yony Noy (@YonyNoy1) July 28, 2025
Malik Beasley questioned in federal gambling probe
Morris' arrest is the latest in a series of scandals surrounding athletes and sports-related or gambling offenses. NBA shooting guard Malik Beasley is currently being probed federally in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York. The government is investigating potential wire fraud and illegal gambling, including Beasley's inside prop bets related to his performance.
Although Beasley wasn't prosecuted, the probe already damaged his career. When the Detroit Pistons heard of the investigation, they withdrew a three-year, $42 million contract offer.
Suspicion purportedly followed after intense betting action skewed the prop odds on Beasley in a Jan. 31 contest featuring the Milwaukee Bucks vs. the Portland Trail Blazers. Despite the props swinging drastically in Beasley's favor having fewer than 2.5 rebounds, he collected six of them in the game.
Ippei Mizuhara begins federal sentence for $17 million fraud
Financial felonies and gambling scandals continue to plague high-profile sports figures and their entourages. Former Shohei Ohtani interpreter Ippei Mizuhara began his 57-month federal sentence in Pennsylvania last month for bank and tax felonies.
Mizuhara entered guilty pleas earlier this year for stealing close to $17 million from Ohtani's own bank account to support his compulsive gambling habit.
The ex-interpreter lost nearly $41 million through illegal gambling, wagering more than $300 million with secret bookmakers. While he admitted being an addict and expressed contrition in the courtroom, prosecutors gave Mizuhara the maximum recommended sentence.
