Terry Rozier Could Face Bribery and Honest Services Fraud Charges in the NBA Gambling Scandal

Federal prosecutors are moving to expand their case against Terry Rozier, signaling that the NBA gambling scandal at the center of one of the most significant sports integrity investigations in American history is far from over. On April 28, 2026, lawyers from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York told a federal judge they intend to file a superseding indictment against the former Miami Heat guard — one that would add charges of bribery in sports and honest services wire fraud to the existing allegations.

The announcement came during a court hearing in Brooklyn at which Rozier’s defense team had asked the court to dismiss the original charges. Prosecutors told the judge — and informed Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, just two hours before the hearing — that they planned to present new charges to a grand jury. Trusty, a partner at Ifrah Law, pushed back immediately, telling the court: “Our motion to dismiss is based on the idea that they picked an invalid legal theory to prosecute Terry Rozier. We’ll see what they do to try to fix that in the superseding indictment, but I expect we’ll have problems with it.”

What the Original Charges Alleged

Rozier was arrested in October 2025 and indicted alongside more than 30 other individuals as part of a sweeping FBI probe into illegal sports betting tied to the NBA. The U.S. Attorney’s Office alleged a conspiracy stretching from December 2022 through March 2024, in which NBA players, coaches, and associates used non-public information — including pre-release injury data and lineup decisions — to place fraudulent wagers through online sportsbooks and retail betting outlets.

According to the indictment, Rozier, then playing for the Charlotte Hornets, tipped off a childhood friend named Deniro Laster that he planned to exit a March 2023 game against the New Orleans Pelicans early, citing a purported foot injury. Laster allegedly shared that information with a network of bettors, who placed more than $200,000 in wagers on the under for Rozier’s individual statistics. Rozier left the game after just nine minutes. Many of those bets paid off, generating tens of thousands of dollars in profit. Prosecutors alleged that Laster then drove through the night to Rozier’s home, where the two counted the winnings together.

Rozier pleaded not guilty to the original charges of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy, each carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. His salary for the 2025-26 season — approximately $26.6 million — was placed in escrow after the arrest, a decision the National Basketball Players Association appealed. An arbitrator ultimately ruled in Rozier’s favor in February 2026, finding that under the collective bargaining agreement, players cannot be placed on unpaid leave except in cases of domestic abuse or child abuse.

What the New Charges Would Mean

The proposed superseding indictment would introduce two additional legal theories that prosecutors believe are on stronger footing. The first is bribery in sports, which directly targets the alleged exchange of value between Rozier and those who profited from his early exit. The second is honest services wire fraud, a charge that targets schemes in which someone uses a position of trust — in this case, as a professional athlete — to deprive their employer, fans, or the public of honest and faithful service.

Prosecutors told the court they have evidence that Rozier solicited and received a bribe connected to the alleged scheme. If proven, that evidence would underpin both new charges and provide the government with a legal framework that does not rely on the wire fraud theory Rozier’s attorneys have argued was rejected by the Supreme Court two years prior. The defense’s motion to dismiss the original charges remains pending, and the outcome of that motion could influence how the superseding indictment is shaped.

Miami waived Rozier earlier in April 2026, leaving him without an NBA contract heading into these legal proceedings. Damon Jones, a former NBA player and assistant coach who was also named as a co-defendant in the broader conspiracy, was expected to plead guilty the day after the Brooklyn hearing.

A Scandal That Has Rattled the League

The Rozier case is one thread in a much larger investigation that has ensnared coaches, players, and their associates across the league. Chauncey Billups, head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, was also charged in connection with the same FBI probe, which alleged ties to organized crime families. Billups and Damon Jones were accused separately of participating in rigged poker games, while Jones was also alleged to have leaked non-public information about NBA games on multiple occasions so that associates could gain a betting edge.

One of those instances involved pre-release medical information about star players on the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2023 and January 2024. Jontay Porter, then a Toronto Raptors player, had already pleaded guilty by the time the broader indictment was unsealed, along with co-conspirator Long Phi Pham, in connection with two games in January and March 2024 in which Porter allegedly agreed to exit early to benefit bettors.

For bettors and fans of legal sports betting, the Rozier case raises serious questions about the integrity safeguards at licensed sportsbooks. The alleged scheme worked precisely because legal platforms — and the teams themselves — were kept in the dark. How the courts ultimately resolve these charges will carry real implications for how the industry monitors suspicious wagering patterns going forward. Readers looking to stay informed on where they can legally wager can explore options at sportsbook reviews.