Details Revealed on NBA Games Involved in Multifaceted Sports Betting Indictment

• Key details are included in a recent indictment against Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and an illegal sports betting gambling ring
• Six members of the ring either manipulated individual performances or knew non-public information prior to several NBA games
• The illegal sports betting gambling ring is the same involved in the recent Jontay Porter sports betting scandal

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Today’s indictment from the U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York against six defendants, which include active NBA player Terry Rozier and former NBA player and coach Damon Jones, includes specific details on how an illegal sports betting gambling ring manipulated game performances and used non-public information to win large amounts of money over at least two NBA seasons.

During the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 NBA seasons, defendants in the indictment allegedly used non-public information and plans from NBA players to leave games early to capitalize on a number of bets placed through online and retail sportsbooks.

Defendants Eric Earnest, Marves Fairley, Shane Hennen, Deniro Laster, Jones, and Rozier all face charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering for their roles in the sports betting ring. Nine unnamed co-conspirators have also been included in the indictment.

First Alleged Incident Occurred on March 23, 2023

This morning, news broke that Miami Heat guard Rozier had been arrested through a federal investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York for potentially manipulating a 2023 game performance as part of an illegal sports betting ring. Shortly after, news also broke that current NBA coach and hall of fame member Chauncey Billups Jones had also been arrested for their roles in an illegal poker scheme involving New York families of the mafia.

Jones was included in both the poker and sports betting indictments.

Alleged details on how the defendants capitalized on non-public information to win hundreds of thousands of dollars in bets, according to FBI Director Kash Patel, were included in the recently released indictment.

The first event in question involved Rozier during his time with the Charlotte Hornets. On March 23, 2023, prior to a Hornets matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans, Rozier allegedly informed Laster he would remove himself from the game in the first quarter due to an injury and not return. Laster sold this information to Fairley for $100,000 from their expected gambling winnings.

Prior to the game, Hennen placed multiple bets on Rozier unders at retail sportsbooks for $61,200 in total. An unnamed co-conspirator also placed $107,000 worth of bets through a retail sportsbook.

Timothy McCormack and Long Phi Pham, two conspirators involved in the Jontay Porter sports betting scandal, also placed $41,000 worth of under bets with an online sports betting platform.

Several other unnamed conspirators placed the following under Rozier bets on the game:

• Co-Conspirator 3 placed $20,000 worth of bets through an online sports betting platform
• Co-Conspirator 4 placed multiple straight bets on his unders at a retail sportsbook for approximately $17,000
• Co-Conspirator 5 placed multiple straight bets on Rozier’s unders at a retail sports for approximately $12,5000
• Co-Conspirator 6 placed an $800 bet on Rozier’s under points.
• Since 2022, Co-Conspirator 6 has placed a number of bets on Rozier’s over props, only placing one bet on an under, the March 23 game

A relative of Laster also created an online sports betting account and placed a $4,000 parlay on Rozier unders for the game.

Rozier played approximately nine minutes and 34 seconds of the game before leaving due to “injury.” He scored five points, recorded two assists, and made on three-point shot, all well under his season averages and under the totals set by oddsmakers for the game.

Rozier collected four rebounds, which was in line with his per-game average.

According to the indictment, Laster hand-delivered tens of thousands of dollars to Rozier’s home in Charlotte, North Carolina, which he received from Fairley for the inside information. Laster and Rozier counted the money that Laster had obtained in the early morning hours of April 1, 2023.

March 2023 Game Involving Trail Blazers Also Included

The next night, the Portland Trail Blazers played the Chicago Bulls on March 24. Co-Conspirator 8 allegedly informed Earnest that the Trail Blazers were planning to “tank” the game for better lottery position. The Trail Blazers at the time of the event were 32-40 with only 10 games remaining in the season.

Co-Conspirator 8, who is listed in the indictment as an individual who played in the NBA from 1997 through 2014, and was an NBA coach since at least 2021, allegedly had inside information that several of the Trail Blazers’ best players would not be playing during the game. This was not available to the public at the time and not yet shared with public betting companies.

Fairley and Hennen placed several bets against the Trail Blazers for approximately $100,000 before the Trail Blazers publicly ruled the players out. The Trail Blazers ruled these players out approximately half-an-hour before a 10 p.m. tipoff, which included the team’s top-four scorers.

Additionally, acting under Hennen’s direction, McCormack and Pham both placed approximately $20,000 worth of bets through one online sports betting platform and $12,000 worth of bets through a second online sports betting platform.

The Bulls defeated the Trail Blazers 124-96.

April 2023 Game Involving Orlando Magic

Another game included in the indictment took place on April 6, 2023, between the Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Fairley and Co-Conspirator 1 used Co-Conspirator 1’s relationship with a member of the Magic’s regularly starting rotation to obtain non-public information about the game. Hours before the game, the player informed Co-Conspirator 1 that the Magic would not be playing its entire regular starting lineup during the matchup. At the time the information was shared the Magic were favored to win by nine points.

Fairley placed an $11,000 bet with an unlicensed bookmaker on the Cavaliers to cover the spread. The tip proved true, as the Magic did not play their regular rotation and lost to the Cavaliers by 24 points.

Multiple Games Involving an Unofficial Lakers Coach

A number of alleged incidents involved Jones in his unofficial role as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2022-2023 season. In the indictment, Jones is alleged to have shared non-public information with Earnest and Fairley regarding the availability of an unnamed member of the Lakers.

According to The Athletic, Jones shared non-public information regarding Lebron James during his 2022-2023 season with the Los Angeles Lakers. Jones had restricted access to work with James during the season and allegedly shared information with gamblers that James would miss a Feb. 9, 2023 matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks due to ankle soreness.

On the morning of the game, Jones texted the following message to Co-Conspirator 9.

“Get a big bet on Milwaukee tonight before the information is out! (Player 3) is out tonight. Bet enough so Djones can eat to [sic] now!!!”

James did not play in the game due to a lower body injury and the Lakers lost the Feb. 9, 2023 against the Bucks.

Jones also claimed to learn from a trainer during a Jan. 15, 2024 game, that an unnamed Lakers best player would have his minutes limited due to injury. Fairley paid Jones a fee of $2,500 for the information.

Fairley placed a number of bets on the Lakers to lose, including a $100,000 bet at a retail sportsbook.

Hours before the game, however, the unnamed Lakers player was listed as probable. The player did not indeed play in the contest, performing in line with his season averages, and the Lakers won the matchup. Fairley requested that Jones repay him the $2,500 fee for the information, to which Jones reaffirmed that it had been credible non-public information.

Porter Games Also Included

Included in the indictment were two well known games involving Porter during his time with the Toronto Raptors. An NBA investigation found the backup forward/center provided a sports bettor with confidential information, limited his participation in one or more games for betting purposes, and bet on several NBA games.

Porter was found to have bet against the Raptors in a parlay while he traveled, but did not play, with the team.

Most concerning, however, was news that broke in June that Porter faked at least two injuries so he could leave games early. He informed several individuals that he owed large gambling debts to about his plan so they could place several large “under” bets on his performance.

These games occurred on Jan. 26, 2024, and March 20, 2024, against the Los Angeles Clippers and Sacramento Kings, respectively. Porter agreed with both Pham and others to exit the games prematurely so they could place fraudulent wagers on his performance.