Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (L) dribbles past Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier (R) during the second half of an NBA game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat in Dallas, Texas, on March 7, 2024. On Monday, Rozier pleaded not guilty to federal charges in an alleged illegal gambling and sports rigging scheme. File Photo by Adam Davis/EPA
Dec. 9 (UPI) — Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier pleaded not guilty Monday to federal charges in an alleged illegal gambling and sports rigging scheme. He was one of 34 people arrested in October, including former NBA player Damon Jones and Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups.
Rozier, 31, appeared Monday in a Brooklyn federal courtroom on charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to commit wire fraud over a period of 15 months, beginning in December 2022. He was released on $3 million bond after being placed on unpaid administrative leave by the NBA.
This season, the 10-year veteran would have made $26.6 million as part of his four-year $96.3 million contract.
“Your winning streak has ended,” U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Joseph Nocella told reporters. “Violating the law is a losing proposition.”
Rozier’s attorney, who said the arrest has been “professionally devastating” for his client, asked that Rozier’s case reach a quick resolution. He also planned to file a motion to dismiss.
“We still have factual innocence to deal with, but for now, getting an opportunity to litigate a significant legal motion is a good thing,” Rozier’s attorney Jim Trusty said.
“They wanted the misplaced glory of embarrassing a professional athlete with a perp walk,” Trusty added. “That tells you a lot about the motivations in this case.”
Co-defendant Deniro Laster was also in court Monday and pleaded not guilty. He was released on $50,000 bond.
Rozier and Jones are accused of participating in an illegal sports betting scheme that “exploited confidential information about NBA athletes and teams,” spanning 11 states, according to Nocella.
Other co-conspirators have been previously charged for their roles in the alleged scheme, including former Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter, who has been banned from the NBA.
Nocella said the scheme involved betting on inside, non-public information using connections with players and coaches for information on when players would sit out future games or leave games early due to alleged injuries. They involved players on the Charlotte Hornets, Los Angeles Lakers, Raptors and Blazers.
A second case revealed the alleged use of “wireless cheating technology to run rigged poker games across the United States.” There are 31 defendants in that FBI investigation with more than a dozen from Mafia families.