Former NBA player Malik Beasley has pleaded not guilty to four federal charges related to an indictment in the Eastern District of New York. The indictment alleges that Beasley conspired with gamblers to manipulate prop bets in four games during the 2023-24 season.
Beasley, who was with the Milwaukee Bucks at the time, was released on a $100,000 bond and is scheduled to return to court in Brooklyn on August 6.
He faces serious charges, including sports bribery, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, honest services fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Among those also charged is Ed Davis, Beasley’s former teammate with the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 2020-21 season. Federal prosecutors describe Davis as the “gatekeeper” for Beasley, who allegedly solicited bribes to manipulate points and rebounds props, partly to settle loans to Davis that accumulated from gambling debts during his nine-year NBA career.
Another co-conspirator, Paolo Zamorano, a registered agent with the National Basketball Players Association, was arraigned alongside Beasley and also pleaded not guilty. He was released on a $100,000 bond with a court appearance set for August 6.
U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Joseph Nocella Jr., commented on the case, stating, “Bribery and insider betting schemes like this, involving former NBA players and an active NBA player agent who exploited confidential NBA information for profit, undermine the integrity of American sports and harm the sports-watching public.”
Beasley could face a maximum of 20 years in prison for the wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy charges, and up to five years for the bribery charge.
Additionally, former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones has been implicated in the Beasley case. He also pleaded not guilty to charges of using insider information for betting. This case is linked to former NBA player Terry Rozier, who is set to face trial for sports corruption charges in February.
Federal prosecutors assert that the gambling ring, which includes an unindicted co-conspirator described as a current Division II men’s basketball assistant coach, wagered hundreds of thousands of dollars across the four games. One bet reportedly netted $121,000.
Charging documents reveal extensive communications among co-conspirators Zamorano, Rob Gorodetsky, Ernesto Plascencia, and William Brown, expressing concerns over whether their bets would pay off. Notably, on March 10, 2024, Beasley secured a rebound with just 1.1 seconds left against the Los Angeles Clippers, which helped them win.
The gambling operation seemed to unravel as mistrust grew among the members regarding the distribution of winnings and the criteria for determining bets.