Terry Rozier, the embattled former NBA player, does not seem to catch a break, with the ex-basketball ace now slapped with new federal charges of sports bribery and honest services wire fraud conspiracy.
This comes on top of the two previous federal charges Rozier is already fighting off, stemming from an indictment filed with the Eastern District of New York in 2025, which brought him up on conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Prosecutors alleged that through his actions, Rozier deprived the NBA "of the intangible right of the honest and faithful services of Rozier through bribery and kickbacks."
The charges were levelled against the player on Thursday, May 28, as the fallout of his involvement in an illegal gambling scheme continues to evolve as more evidence comes to light.
A superseding indictment was returned by a federal grand jury in Brooklyn, New York, and now alleges that Rozier allegedly sought payment to the tune of $100,000 to share about non-public information, which would allow bettors to wager on the player's exact exit from the game.
Rozier appeared in court on the same day as co-defendants Marves Fairley and De'Niro Laster, who are sports gamblers who allegedly paid the player to secure a dishonest advantage.
Fairley had already pleaded guilty last week, confirming that he had indeed paid a player. Laster is alleged to have received the tip from Rozier himself and then sold it to gamblers, through his intermediary, who wagered at least $200,000 on the player exiting a game.
Rozier allegedly solicited the six-figure sum to let gamblers know when he would exit a game back in March 2023, resulting in successful payouts from sportsbooks for his co-conspirators.
Federal prosecutors alleged, however, that despite his intentions, Rozier did not always succeed in pulling off the exact performance he had promised. In fact, he performed "better than anticipated" based on the investigators' findings, and would allegedly reduce the bribe amount to $70,000 due to his inability to deliver fully on his promise.
However, not everyone agrees with this appraisal, including Jim Trusty, an attorney who represents Rozier in the case. Trusty has described the superseding indictment as an attempt to "have something stick" and maintained his client's innocence.
Eric Siegle, Fairley's attorney, however, struck a different chord, arguing that his client took "full responsibility" and "deeply regretted" his actions.
The Rozier case is part of a sprawling NBA scandal, which saw two brazen schemes reported over the past months - one about the selling of non-public information in exchange for money, as described in Rozier's case and the other - involving a network of rigged poker games that preyed on rich poker enthusiasts, including NBA players.
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and ex-NBA player Damon Jones have also been embroiled in the case. Jones has since pleaded guilty, while Billups continues to insist on his innocence.
Image credit: Unsplash.com
