Federal prosecutors are alleging witness tampering in the gambling case involving NBA player Terry Rozier. They have requested a judge to revoke the bond of co-defendant Deniro Laster, citing social media posts intended to intimidate witnesses. Laster is accused of selling insider information about Rozier’s game status to bettors, while Rozier faces charges of accepting bribes to alter his performance in games to influence prop bet outcomes.
According to ESPN, Rozier’s attorney, David Markus, argues that a text message from Laster proves Rozier’s innocence. The text instructed a recipient not to inform Rozier, known by the nickname “Chum,” about a bet, suggesting Rozier was unaware of the scheme. Markus contends that this should lead to the dismissal of charges against Rozier. However, federal prosecutors maintain that the text is unrelated to sports gambling.
The case, brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, accuses Rozier of accepting a $100,000 bribe to underperform in a March 2023 game between the Charlotte Hornets and the New Orleans Pelicans. Rozier, who has pleaded not guilty, is set to stand trial on February 8, 2027. His attorneys have filed motions to dismiss the charges and relocate the trial to Florida, where Rozier resides, arguing that none of the alleged actions occurred in New York.
WTVBAM reports that Rozier’s legal team is also seeking to dismiss additional charges of sports bribery and honest services fraud. The defense asserts that Rozier never agreed to alter his performance for gamblers and was unaware of any betting on his statistics.
The case has seen co-defendants, including former NBA player Damon Jones, plead guilty. The trial will also involve Shane Hennen, who has admitted to participating in a related poker game scheme. As the legal proceedings continue, Rozier’s attorneys remain firm in their stance that he is innocent of all charges.
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