Terry Rozier asks judge to dismiss charges in federal NBA betting case

Miami Thermal Guard Terry Rozier now he is fighting back aggressively in court. A little more than two weeks after pleading not guilty, Rozier took another step in his legal strategy by asking a federal judge to drop the charges against him entirely. The case is part of a larger federal investigation into sports betting which includes more than 30 accused.

Rozier was arraigned on two counts, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. His attorney, Jim Trusty, says the charges should never have been filed.

Terry Rozier’s lawyers filed a motion to dismiss the wire fraud conspiracy. costs. The system deprived a bookmaker of the ability to make informed decisions about accepting a bet because Rozier provided a co-defendant with certain nonpublic information. SCOTUS rejected the theory in Ciminelli v. US that they wrote pic.twitter.com/2v58BD0LO8

-Matt Rybaltowski (@MattRybaltowski) December 23, 2025

According to Trusty, the indictment does not clearly explain how Rozier allegedly committed wire fraud, which he says is a fatal flaw. Without a valid wire fraud charge, the money laundering allegation would also collapse.

CBS Sports reports that Trusty pointed to a 2023 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that clarifies what prosecutors must prove in a wire fraud case. More specifically, the scheme must aim to deprive a victim, in this case sports betting, of money or property.

Terry Rozier seeks to dismiss federal charges in NBA gambling case

In a public legal filing, Trusty criticized the way prosecutors framed the case.

“The government has characterized this matter as ‘insider betting’ and ‘fixing’ of professional basketball games,” Trusty said in a public legal document. “But the indictment alleges something less headline-worthy: that some bettors violated the terms of service of some sportsbooks.”

Prosecutors say Rozier was connected to a gambling network that relied on sharing insider, nonpublic information. According to the indictment, Rozier allegedly told a co-conspirator, De’Niro Laster, that he planned to retire early from a March 2023 game while playing for the Charlotte Hornets. Laster then allegedly sold this information to gamblers, who distributed it through a betting syndicate.

Trusty contends the indictment does not establish Rozier’s criminal intent.

“The indictment does not allege that Mr. Rozier ever placed a bet, either himself or through an agent, on any NBA game,” Trusty said. “Nor does he allege that he knew Laster intended to sell this information to others, or that using it to place bets would violate the betting companies’ rules.”

Prosecutors have until February 2 to respond to the motion to dismiss. The next procedural hearing for all defendants is scheduled for March 4. At an earlier hearing, Judge Ramon Reyes said he intended the trial to begin by September.

Rozier was arrested in October and suspended Chauncey Billups, coach of the Portland Trail Blazersformer NBA player Damon Jonesand dozens of others. Billups is accused of participating in a separate gambling scheme involving rigged poker games linked to organized crime. Jones is involved in both cases. Both pleaded not guilty.

Featured Image: The Financial Express via YouTube

The position Terry Rozier asks judge to dismiss charges in federal NBA betting case appeared first on ReadWrite.

Source link