The legal situation surrounding Terry Rozier just took another turn, with federal prosecutors signaling that more charges are on the way in the expanding NBA gambling scandal. According to Complex, during a court hearing in New York on April 27, Assistant U.S. attorney Kaitlin Farrell said the government plans to file a superseding indictment by mid-May that would add counts of sports bribery and honest services wire fraud.
This is a massive shift in the case, as prosecutors told the court they have developed evidence suggesting Rozier both solicited and received a bribe tied to the alleged scheme. Rozier, who has been waived by the team, has already pleaded not guilty to conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering charges in connection with the broader investigation. During the hearing, the defense was informed of these potential new charges only hours before the proceedings began.
According to Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, the team had previously filed a motion to dismiss earlier charges, but a judge did not issue a ruling on that request as the focus shifted to the potential new indictment. “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,” Trusty said.
He really threw away his whole career for a betting scheme
This entire saga stems from a March 2023 game while Rozier was playing for the Charlotte Hornets. Prosecutors allege he told a co-defendant, identified as his childhood friend Deniro Laster, that he planned to exit the game early. The theory is that this non-public information was sold to bettors, who then placed significant wagers on the under for his performance. Rozier left the game after limited minutes, and many of those bets reportedly paid out.
It’s a messy situation, and the federal investigation is part of a wider crackdown involving 31 defendants and multiple layers of alleged gambling-related activity. Authorities claim some participants used inside information from the NBA to influence bets, while a separate but related case involves high-stakes poker games that were allegedly manipulated. Even with these mounting legal pressures, it hasn’t been a total loss for Rozier on the legal front.
Earlier this year, he secured a key off-court win when an arbitrator ruled that the league could not withhold his salary while the case plays out. The ruling meant that his 2025–26 paychecks, totaling approximately $26.6 million, would be released from escrow. This decision hinged on the language of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, which dictates that players cannot be put on unpaid leave unless the case involves domestic or child abuse.
Since Rozier’s situation didn’t meet those criteria, the league didn’t have the contractual grounds to freeze his pay. Regarding that victory, his attorney Jim Trusty was clear about the implications. “Terry won today under principles of contract law and the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the league and the players, but the bigger principle at issue is the presumption of innocence,” Trusty said in a statement.
“Today’s arbitration ruling reminds the NBA that they can’t ignore that important concept just because it’s a high-profile case.” The National Basketball Players Association also backed that stance, noting that it remains focused on ensuring that Rozier’s due process rights are protected throughout the process. The broader investigation remains quite extensive, and it has pulled in several other prominent figures.
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and former NBA player Damon Jones are among the individuals linked to the probe. While not all are accused of direct wrongdoing in every aspect, the legal fallout is clearly widespread. Jones, who faces charges in both the NBA-related investigation and the separate poker case, is now expected to plead guilty according to recent court developments.
Many observers are watching how this move might impact how prosecutors approach the rest of the case against the remaining defendants. For Rozier, the professional consequences have already been significant. The Miami Heat waived him on April 10, as the league required teams to waive players with expiring contracts or those where the team held an option for the next season.
Rozier had not suited up since October following his initial arrest. As the mid-May deadline for the superseding indictment approaches, the legal battle is only expected to intensify. It’s a high-stakes situation that highlights the intersection of professional sports, gambling regulations, and the strict rules governing player contracts. This pattern of athletes facing serious financial crimes mirrors the case of Super Bowl winner who was recently arrested for felony insurance fraud.
Whether the new charges will hold up under the scrutiny of the defense remains to be seen, but it’s clear that the government is not backing down from this investigation.
Published: Apr 28, 2026 03:15 pm