Judge in Rozier sports betting case sets February trial date

Hours before the New York Knicks’ historic comeback at Madison Square Garden in the NBA Finals, Terry Rozier returned to another Big Apple court for his latest appearance in a high-profile sports betting case.

Rozier, a former Charlotte Hornets guard, appeared at a Brooklyn federal courthouse on Wednesday for the first time since a grand jury unsealed additional charges last month. Already facing charges on conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, Rozier pleaded not guilty this week to charges of honest services wire fraud conspiracy and bribery in sporting contests.

Rozier is one of four defendants named in a superseding indictment unsealed in late May. Two presumed ringleaders, Eric Earnest and Shane Hennen, as well as accomplice Deniro Laster, appeared with Rozier at a status conference on Wednesday afternoon. Following Rozier’s plea hearing, US District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall set a trial date for 8 February 2027.

A first-round pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, Rozier is accused of disseminating information on his alleged plans to leave a game early to Laster, a childhood friend. In turn, Laster allegedly provided a tip on Rozier to a group of bettors to secure a favourable outcome on a series of betting props. Rozier earned the nickname “Scary Terry” during his playing career for his deft dribbling skills and ability to dart into the lane past defenders.

Jim Trusty, Rozier’s attorney, told reporters outside the courthouse that his client has maintained a resolute mindset despite the new charges. Traded to the Miami Heat in 2024, Rozier was released by the club in April near the end of the NBA regular season and is currently a free agent.

“He’s strong now, he’ll be strong when his day of exoneration comes,” Trusty said. “We’ll fight whoever is going to come at us.”

Procedural matters

Hall, who was appointed by former US President Barack Obama, alluded to the NBA numerous times during the procedural hearing. Shortly after Rozier’s initial court appearance in December, a magistrate judge released a “no-contact list” that prohibited Rozier from contacting certain entities. While prosecutors removed the Heat from the list, two other entries still remain – the NBA and the Hornets.

Kaitlin Farrell, an assistant US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, told Hall that the no-contact order is a standard condition under the Bail Reform Act, a 1984 law that prohibits defendants from communicating with alleged victims or witnesses. Under the charges pertaining to honest services wire fraud, Rozier and two others are accused of conspiring to devise a scheme to defraud the Hornets and the NBA of the “intangible right” of Rozier’s honest services.

The government has already investigated whether Rozier made statements to Heat employees pertaining to the gambling case, Farrell told the court. The Hornets franchise, however, needs to be included on the list because it is considered a victim of the alleged scheme, she added. The government, according to Farrell, has completed a substantial portion of discovery ahead of an August status conference, the next likely date when Rozier will return to the courthouse.

Despite the charges, Rozier is interested in joining a new team, according to his attorneys. In the event that Rozier signs with a different club, Trusty is concerned that the no-contact order limits his client from communicating with a Hornets’ player in the context of an NBA game. Both attorneys told Hall that they have held negotiations to potentially modify the terms of the release.

Farrell was not available for comment following the hearing.

Tension with the NBA

While the Hornets did not take a position on modifying the no-contact order, the NBA objected to lifting the proscription, Farrell told the court. Hall instructed prosecutors to make a request with the association to submit a formal letter outlining their position. In order to speed up her ruling, Hall set a 15 June deadline for the receipt of the letter.

Following the hearing, Trusty expressed criticism toward the league for “flagrantly” fouling Rozier’s presumption of innocence in his estimations. Frustrated by perceptions of the NBA’s restrictive stance against Rozier, Trusty believes the association is deliberately making it challenging for his client to return.

In the wake of last October’s sweeping indictments, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver indicated that he was “deeply disturbed” by the charges. Although Silver said the NBA’s integrity monitors spotted aberrational behaviour surrounding a March 2023 game, the association determined that Rozier did not violate league rules. While Silver said last fall that the NBA continued to work with the government on the case, he stated that the league does not have subpoena power in gambling investigations.

“They’re still trying to find ways to pretend they’re a victim,” said Trusty of the league. “They’re not on the side of the angels on this case. They’ve made decisions that completely contradict the presumption of innocence.”

The NBA has not issued a statement on Trusty’s comments. If the trial begins on the date set by Hall, it will start eight days before the 2027 NBA All-Star Game.

Matt Rybaltowski

Matt is primarily responsible for long-form feature coverage on complex sports betting scandals. He also provides coverage on finance, M&A and other technological developments.