Ex-NBA Guard Terry Rozier Faces New Charges in Illegal Sports Betting Case

Former NBA guard Terry Rozier was hit with new federal bribery charges, stemming from an ongoing sports gambling investigation that federal prosecutors say involved manipulated player bets and insider coordination with bettors.

Rozier, 32, was charged in Brooklyn federal court on Thursday, with additional counts of sports bribery and honest services wire fraud conspiracy in a superseding indictment.

The new charges expand on previous allegations that the ex-Miami Heat player participated in an illegal sports betting scheme to defraud major sportsbooks, including DraftKings and FanDuel, during the 2022–2023 NBA season.

“The new indictment just confirms that our motion to dismiss was righteous—new charges, new theories, but all just an effort to make something stick,” said Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, in a statement.

Rozier was arrested in October along with former NBA player Damon Jones and Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, and charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

FBI Director Kash Patel said in an Oct. 23 news release: “Today, the FBI arrested six people, including current and former NBA players, for their alleged role in illegal sports betting and money laundering conspiracy.

“Using private information and positions of power to rig sports gambling outcomes is not only illegal, but destroys the integrity of the game and will never be tolerated.”

Prosecutors allege that Rozier, who played for the Charlotte Hornets at the time, agreed to leave a March 2023 game against the New Orleans Pelicans early, in exchange for financial compensation from individuals tied to the gambling operation.

According to the original indictment, bettors placed large wagers on Rozier after receiving premature information about his planned exit from the game due to a “supposed injury” and that he would “not return to play further.”

“This alleged collusion resulted in the defendants secretly pocketing their lavish winnings and corrupting NBA games,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher Raia at the time.

The betting group, allegedly profited from hundreds of thousands of dollars in wagers linked to Rozier’s reduced playing time. The superseding indictment adds that Rozier received a smaller payout from the bribe, after some bets failed to hit when he exceeded statistical projections during the game.

On Dec. 8, Rozier pleaded not guilty to the charges against him and was released on $3 million bond. He denied any wrongdoing and did not appear in NBA games this season amid ongoing legal proceedings.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.