![Terry Rozier pleads not guilty to sports betting charges By Reuters December 8, 20257:45 PM GMT-4Updated 3 hours ago Item 1 of 3 Terry Rozier, a guard with the NBA's Miami Heat, departs the Brooklyn Federal courthouse, after entering a plea in a criminal case alleging he shared non-public information with sports bettors ahead of games, in Brooklyn, New York, U.S., December 8, 2025. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz [1/3]Terry Rozier, a guard with the NBA's Miami Heat, departs the Brooklyn Federal courthouse, after entering a plea in a criminal case alleging he shared non-public information with sports bettors ahead of games, in Brooklyn, New York, U.S., December 8, 2025. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab December 8 - Facing federal wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy charges for his alleged role in an illegal sports gambling scheme, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier pleaded not guilty in federal court Monday in New York. Rozier, 31, was released on a $3 million bond. Rozier's co-defendant, Deniro Laster, also appeared in court and pleaded not guilty. He was released on $50,000 bond. He and Rozier were arrested in October in connection with a federal investigation into illicit gambling. Advertisement · Scroll to continue In an indictment from the U.S. Justice Department, Rozier was accused of tipping off Laster that he planned to leave a game for the Charlotte Hornets game early by feigning an injury. Laster and other conspirators then used that knowledge to "place and direct more than $200,000 in wagers predicting Rozier's ‘under' statistics (i.e., that Rozier would underperform)." The NBA had previously investigated suspicious prop bets placed on Rozier's unders in 2023 but did not find evidence he had violated league rules. The league placed Rozier on leave following the indictment and his arrest. An investigation into Rozier has been underway since a March 23, 2023, game when Rozier played for the Hornets. Sportsbooks reported unusual betting activities on prop bets -- all on the under -- in a game Rozier left after 10 minutes, claiming a foot injury. Advertisement · Scroll to continue The indictment alleges Rozier made it known to associates that he would depart the game early, and more than $200,000 was wagered on the under, with a share of the winnings given to Rozier. With the next status update on the case set for March 3, Rozier's lawyer, Jim Trusty, told reporters he plans to file a motion for dismissal Tuesday. Evan Corcoran, Laster's lawyer, said he would likely do the same for his client. Trusty went on to say that he will meet with the NBA in an arbitration hearing on Dec. 17, per The Athletic, to contest that Rozier's leave is unpaid. The guard was placed on unpaid leave by the league one week after he was arrested, which caused the National Basketball Players Association to file a grievance with the league. Rozier entered the league as a first-round draft pick of the Boston Celtics in 2015. He is playing this season on the final year of a four-year, $96.3 million deal he signed with the Hornets and has $160.4 million in career earnings, according to Spotrac.](https://arbitrationmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/terry-rozier-sports.avif)
Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier entered a not-guilty plea on Monday in Brooklyn federal court. Prosecutors accuse him of helping an illegal sports betting network by sharing information that was not public. The judge allowed him to leave on a $3 million bond.
His co-defendant, Deniro Laster, also denied the charges and secured release on a $50,000 bond. Both men were taken into custody in October after a federal probe into suspicious wagers linked to NBA prop bets.
Federal accusations against Terry Rozier
The U.S. Justice Department says Rozier told Laster in advance that he would exit a 2023 Charlotte Hornets game early. Investigators claim Laster and others then placed more than $200,000 in bets on Rozier’s “unders,” expecting him to fall short of his statistical projections.
Sportsbooks had already reported unusual betting activity on that March 23 game. Rozier left the court after roughly ten minutes, saying he had a foot injury. The NBA reviewed the incident at the time but did not uncover a rule violation. After his arrest this year, however, the league placed him on unpaid leave, which prompted the players union to file a grievance.
Prosecutors argue that Rozier informed associates about his early exit and later received part of the winnings. Rozier maintains he did nothing illegal.
Defense strategy and next steps
Rozier’s lawyer, Jim Trusty, told reporters he will file a motion to dismiss the case on Tuesday. Laster’s attorney, Evan Corcoran, expects to follow the same path. Trusty also plans to meet the NBA on Dec. 17 in arbitration to challenge the unpaid leave.
Rozier entered the league in 2015 as a first-round pick of the Boston Celtics. He is finishing the last season of a four-year, $96.3 million contract he signed with the Hornets. Spotrac estimates his career earnings at more than $160 million.
The next court hearing is scheduled for March 3.
![Terry Rozier pleads not guilty to sports betting charges By Reuters December 8, 20257:45 PM GMT-4Updated 3 hours ago Item 1 of 3 Terry Rozier, a guard with the NBA's Miami Heat, departs the Brooklyn Federal courthouse, after entering a plea in a criminal case alleging he shared non-public information with sports bettors ahead of games, in Brooklyn, New York, U.S., December 8, 2025. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz [1/3]Terry Rozier, a guard with the NBA's Miami Heat, departs the Brooklyn Federal courthouse, after entering a plea in a criminal case alleging he shared non-public information with sports bettors ahead of games, in Brooklyn, New York, U.S., December 8, 2025. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab December 8 - Facing federal wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy charges for his alleged role in an illegal sports gambling scheme, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier pleaded not guilty in federal court Monday in New York. Rozier, 31, was released on a $3 million bond. Rozier's co-defendant, Deniro Laster, also appeared in court and pleaded not guilty. He was released on $50,000 bond. He and Rozier were arrested in October in connection with a federal investigation into illicit gambling. Advertisement · Scroll to continue In an indictment from the U.S. Justice Department, Rozier was accused of tipping off Laster that he planned to leave a game for the Charlotte Hornets game early by feigning an injury. Laster and other conspirators then used that knowledge to "place and direct more than $200,000 in wagers predicting Rozier's ‘under' statistics (i.e., that Rozier would underperform)." The NBA had previously investigated suspicious prop bets placed on Rozier's unders in 2023 but did not find evidence he had violated league rules. The league placed Rozier on leave following the indictment and his arrest. An investigation into Rozier has been underway since a March 23, 2023, game when Rozier played for the Hornets. Sportsbooks reported unusual betting activities on prop bets -- all on the under -- in a game Rozier left after 10 minutes, claiming a foot injury. Advertisement · Scroll to continue The indictment alleges Rozier made it known to associates that he would depart the game early, and more than $200,000 was wagered on the under, with a share of the winnings given to Rozier. With the next status update on the case set for March 3, Rozier's lawyer, Jim Trusty, told reporters he plans to file a motion for dismissal Tuesday. Evan Corcoran, Laster's lawyer, said he would likely do the same for his client. Trusty went on to say that he will meet with the NBA in an arbitration hearing on Dec. 17, per The Athletic, to contest that Rozier's leave is unpaid. The guard was placed on unpaid leave by the league one week after he was arrested, which caused the National Basketball Players Association to file a grievance with the league. Rozier entered the league as a first-round draft pick of the Boston Celtics in 2015. He is playing this season on the final year of a four-year, $96.3 million deal he signed with the Hornets and has $160.4 million in career earnings, according to Spotrac.](https://arbitrationmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/terry-rozier-sports-150x150.avif)
