Just when you think the federal sports-betting cases can’t get any more dramatic, another bombshell drops.
NBA veteran Terry Rozier is now accusing the government of trying to paint him as a literal gang member. In a new motion filed Thursday in the Eastern District of New York, Rozier also alleges they are withholding crucial evidence in his ongoing case.
Rozier’s attorney, David Oscar Markus, is asking Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall to stop federal prosecutors from introducing references to alleged gang affiliations, guns, drugs and photographs showing cash. His legal team also wants access to the NBA’s internal investigative reports…including notes from interviews Rozier allegedly gave without an attorney present. Uh-oh.
“Terry Rozier is innocent. The objective evidence proves it,” the defense declares in the 20-page filing obtained by Los Angeles.
Rozier, who played for the Charlotte Hornets at the time of the alleged scheme, is accused of agreeing to leave a March 23, 2023, game against the New Orleans Pelicans early, so pals or
associates could make money betting that he would leave the game early and finish with fewer points and rebounds than one would expect from the skilled athlete.
Federal prosecutors allege Rozier shared information about his planned early departure with longtime friend and co-defendant Deniro Laster, who passed along the inside info to others. Laster allegedly collected the winnings and later delivered the money to Rozier’s Charlotte home. Rozier has pleaded not guilty and maintains that he left the game because of a legitimate injury, not because of any agreement to manipulate his performance for bets.
Rozier’s attorneys also included a video exhibit in their Nov. 12 filing, titled “Rozier Rebounds Over/Under 3.5 Rebounds Final 4.”
The defense says the footage shows Rozier grabbing four rebounds during the March 23, 2023, game, actually exceeding the 3.5-rebound betting line. Markus argues that Rozier getting more rebounds than expected proves that prosecutors’ allegations of him purposely playing poorly… are false. “Precisely the opposite of what the alleged co-conspirators had wagered would happen,” Markus writes.
Rozier’s team also argues that medical evidence confirms Rozier was genuinely injured and that communications between the alleged gamblers prove they intentionally hid their bets from him.
The filing goes even further and accuses the feds of attempting to distract jurors from a “weak case” by introducing extra material that has nothing to do with the gambling scheme.
One major argument involves references to “GMB.” Prosecutors have said GMB is associated with a possible criminal crew. The defense says GMB stands for “Get More Blessings,” which is a motivational slogan originating with Rozier’s youth basketball team. It later became the motto of his charitable foundation. “This is an alleged gambling case about one basketball game. It is not a gang, drug, or gun prosecution, nor could it be. This so-called evidence is irrelevant. And the danger of unfair prejudice substantially outweighs the possible probative value,” Markus writes.
He also points to an August hearing where prosecutors stated they were not alleging that Rozier belonged to a gang. The motion reads: “But then at the August 11, 2026, conference on Laster’s bail, the Government backed away from its insinuation and claimed it was ‘not alleging that this crew or quasi gang actually existed.’ At the close of the proceeding, the Government declared, ‘The Government is not alleging that Mr. Rozier is a member of a gang’.”
Nevertheless, Markus says prosecutors still plan to reference GMB at trial to establish relationships among the defendants. He says it’s unnecessary because he is willing to formally say that Laster was one of his best friends.
Markus also objects to photos and social media posts allegedly depicting guns and copious amounts of cash. Rozier signed a four-year contract extension worth $96 million in 2021, arguing that photos of a wealthy NBA player showing off his money don’t establish that he accepted an alleged $70,000 bribe.
The motion argues that the evidence risks jurors making assumptions about Rozier’s race, wealth and character rather than deciding whether he participated in the illegal sports betting offenses he’s charged with.
“No count charges a firearm,” the defense states, also adding that there is no evidence Rozier ever intimidated witnesses.
Markus isn’t done, though.
He says the league’s outside attorneys questioned Rozier multiple times without his lawyer present and without telling him prior what the interviews would cover. The NBA previously announced that their investigation found no violation of league rules. Commissioner Adam Silver also publicly discussed Rozier’s cooperation, including his decision to turn over his phone.
However, Rozier’s defense says the league has refused to provide the complete investigative report or interview notes, saying that the documents are protected by legal privilege. But prosecutors allegedly want to introduce statements Rozier made during those interviews.
Markus says that allowing the government to present portions of his statements without showing the full context wouldn’t be fair. The motion asks the court to force the NBA to hand over the full interview documents or stop the government from introducing any of his statements.
The filing also revisits a bombshell text message that has become a major point of contention between Rozier and his longtime friend. As previously reported by Los Angeles, Laster allegedly instructed an associate not to tell “Chum” about a bet.
“Don’t tell chum bout the bet,” the message reads.
Rozier’s attorneys say “Chum” refers to Rozier and say the message shows that Laster purposely hid the bet from him.
The government has suggested another interpretation, suggesting the message referred to casino table games over bets on Rozier’s basketball performance.
The defense says that now prosecutors may exclude the message altogether.
And the competing defense strategies have already created friction between co-defendants, Rozier and Laster. In October, attorneys for both men asked the judge to separate their trials, arguing that Rozier’s defense plans to blame Laster.
That request followed an earlier issue involving Rozier’s reported payment of Laster’s legal fees, which concerned prosecutors regarding a potential conflict of interest.
The latest motion also wants to exclude statements Laster and other alleged gamblers made to NBA investigators after the March 2023 game. Markus argues that because the alleged scheme was already over when those statements were made, the feds shouldn’t be allowed to use them against Rozier. He’s requested an oral argument.
Rozier and Laster have been scheduled for trial beginning Feb. 8, 2027, although the request for separate trials could affect that schedule.
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