Two former NBA players have been indicted in the federal gambling probe that led to the arrests of Terry Rozier, Chauncey Billups, and Damon Jones, among others.
On Monday, Malik Beasley, a nine-year NBA veteran, was indicted as part of the probe. Steve Haney, Beasley’s attorney, told ESPN that his client is coordinating a voluntary surrender with the government this week.
Ed Davis, a 12-year NBA veteran who starred at North Carolina, was also indicted along with his agent, Paolo Zamorano. Davis and Beasley previously played together on the Timberwolves during the 2020–21 season. Prosecutors allege Beasley, despite making nearly $60 million in career earnings, owed millions of dollars in gambling debts and received loans from Davis to help pay them off.
Both Beasley and Davis were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering among four total charges.
“These defendants allegedly operated an illegal betting ring in an attempt to unlawfully earn hundreds of thousands of dollars,” Joseph Nocella Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said in a press release. “As alleged, Malik Beasley allowed himself to be bought and altered his gametime performance to line pockets of Ed Davis and his other co- conspirators. The FBI continues to dismantle fraudulent schemes that erode the integrity of any institution, including our nation’s professional sports leagues.”
Haney did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Front Office Sports.
Federal prosecutors allege Beasley agreed to manipulate his play with the Bucks during four games of the 2023–24 season including a Jan. 26, 2024, game against the Cavaliers and worked with Davis to do so. Beasley informed Davis before the game he would underperform in regards to rebounding in order for prop bets on the statistic to hit. Davis informed other co-conspirators who wagered accordingly.
Beasley manipulated his performance a month later, the indictment says, in a Feb. 27, 2024, game against the Hornets. Davis instructed Beasley to “underperform with respect to scoring points and overperform in regards to rebounding,” according to court documents.
NBA spokesperson Mike Bass in a statement to FOS said, “We are in the process of reviewing the federal indictment unsealed today involving Malik Beasley and Ed Davis. Beasley last played in the NBA during the 2024–25 season and Davis last played in the league during the 2021–22 season. We will continue to investigate this matter and cooperate with the relevant authorities. We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and the integrity of our game remains our top priority.”
In late January, The Athletic reported that the Eastern District of New York had expanded the number of NBA games it was investigating from its initial gambling probe, which opened the door for more possible arrests.
Beasley, 29, last played with the Pistons in the 2024–25 season but has since remained unsigned in what his agent has called “investigative purgatory.” After finishing second in the NBA in made 3-pointers that year, Beasley was close to signing a three-year, $42 million contract with the Pistons last summer, but the deal was taken off the table after he became associated with the federal gambling investigation involving Rozier and Billups before NBA free agency started.
In August, FOS reported Beasley was still a “subject” of the investigation, meaning he could still be charged.
When Rozier, Billups, and Jones were arrested in October, Beasley wasn’t taken into custody despite being part of the Eastern District of New York’s investigation. Rozier and Jones were charged with being part of an illegal gambling ring, while Billups was accused of being part of an illegal poker scheme. Jones was named in both indictments, and while Billups was only named in the poker indictment, the betting indictment suggests he was also involved in that conspiracy while coaching the Trail Blazers.
Steve Haney, Beasley’s attorney, previously told FOS that his client did not give information to federal prosecutors and did not participate in the investigation.
“I want to make this perfectly clear, any avoidance Malik Beasley had in connection with today’s developments in the federal gambling arrests had no relationship whatsoever to any alleged or accused cooperation or information provided to the Eastern District of New York,” Beasley’s lawyer Steve Haney, told FOS in an email at the time. “Malik has not and will not cooperate with any pending federal investigations.”
In November, Beasley said he was still hoping to play in the NBA, but had yet to be cleared by the league. Because of that, he couldn’t speak directly to team officials. In October, sports journalist Pablo Torre indicated Beasley was previously investigated for “making a bet or two on another sport,” and that the NBA “didn’t find anything.”
Rozier is currently facing four charges in the gambling probe while former Raptors center Jontay Porter pled guilty in July 2024. Billups did not take a plea agreement, and his attorney recently indicated in court they plan to go to trial while Jones pled guilty in April.
Read the full indictment:
