Feds investigating Rozier over reported link to gambling ring activity
Federal prosecutors are investigating Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier as part of their probe into the same illegal betting scheme that involved Jontay Porter, sources told The Wall Street Journal's Jared Diamond, Louise Radnofsky, and Robert O'Connell.
Prosecutors are looking into Rozier's performance March 23, 2023, when he was still with the Charlotte Hornets. During that game against the New Orleans Pelicans, an irregular volume of bets was reportedly placed on the unders for Rozier's props, including total points and rebounds. Rozier, a full-time starter for Charlotte that season who averaged 35.7 minutes per game, played just 10 minutes before leaving with a foot injury in the first quarter. He missed the remaining eight games of the Hornets' season with the same foot injury.
Investigators reportedly believe that some of the individuals who illegally collaborated with former Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter had inside information about Rozier and placed significant bets against him.
A firm called U.S. Integrity that monitors betting markets for suspicious activity reportedly notified sportsbooks and the NBA of the unusual wagers on Rozier, and some sportsbooks stopped accepting bets on his production for that game. U.S. Integrity has sent out three alerts for NBA games in the last two seasons: one for this Hornets game and two for games involving Porter, sources told the Wall Street Journal.
Rozier hasn't been accused of any wrongdoing, nor has he been criminally charged. There's no indication of whether prosecutors have determined he was intentionally aiding bettors, the Wall Street Journal reports. The NBA acknowledged the government investigation Thursday, confirming that it had been alerted to the atypical betting activity in March 2023 and cleared Rozier following its own inquiry.
"The league conducted an investigation and did not find a violation of NBA rules," NBA spokesman Mike Bass said in a statement. "We are now aware of an investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York related to this matter and have been cooperating."
The same gambling ring is reportedly being investigated in relation to possible point-shaving in college basketball. The NCAA is looking into Temple after U.S. Integrity identified unusual betting activity on the Owls' 100-72 loss to UAB on March 7, sources told the Wall Street Journal. A Temple spokesperson said that law enforcement hasn't contacted the school.
Porter received a lifetime ban from the NBA. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in July and is set to be sentenced in New York on May 20. Five other men have been charged for their roles in the scheme, and three of them have pleaded guilty.