Former NBA players Malik Beasley and Ed Davis have been indicted as part of a federal gambling investigation relating to Beasley’s on-court performance during his career.
The two were indicted on June 24, but the indictment was unsealed on June 29. They are accused of participating in a scheme to influence NBA games through bribery and defraud betting companies by providing, obtaining, and using non-public information to place fraudulent bets and make a profit and launder the proceeds. The alleged conduct occurred between December 2023 and April 2024, according to prosecutors.
Four other people were indicted: William Brown, Robert Gorodetsky, Ernesto Plascencia, and Paolo Zamorano.
All the defendants were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, bribery in sporting contests, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
At the time of the alleged conduct, Beasley played for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Beasley and Davis allegedly conspired with one another in advance of certain NBA games to underperform, and sometimes overperform, as it related to Beasley’s statistics in those games, the indictment says. Davis, Brown, Gorodetsky, Plascencia, and Zamorano, in addition to unindicted co-conspirators, used that non-public information to place fraudulent wagers based on Beasley’s performance in the games while intending to profit at the expense of the betting companies, according to the indictment.
In exchange, Beasley allegedly received bribes from co-conspirators, usually by having Beasley’s debts to Davis reduced or paid off, according to prosecutors.
One of the games named in the indictment is the Jan. 26, 2024, contest between the Bucks and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Before the game, Davis and Beasley discussed where Beasley would underperform. Beasley allegedly said he would do it with his rebounding and provided this information to Davis for a promised bribe. Co-conspirators placed wagers based on this non-public information. Beasley got three rebounds in the game when the betting line was approximately 3.5. Beasley’s co-conspirators made thousands of dollars.
Ahead of the Feb. 27, 2024, game between the Bucks and Charlotte Hornets, Beasley allegedly told Davis he would underperform in scoring and overperform in rebounding, according to the government. Beasley allegedly told Davis this information in exchange for a bribe and so that Davis and other co-conspirators could place fraudulent bets. Beasley scored six points when the betting line was approximately 12.5 and got four rebounds when the betting line was approximately 3.5. Davis and other conspirators profited from the bets by at least $77,187.
Another game cited in the indictment was on March 10, 2024, between the Bucks and the Los Angeles Clippers. Beasley allegedly told Davis he would overperform in rebounding. Davis told Gorodetsky, Plascencia, and Zamorano the information so that they could place fraudulent bets. Beasley recorded four rebounds in the game with the betting line at approximately 3.5, allowing the co-conspirators to make thousands of dollars.
The final game named in the indictment was between the Bucks and the Brooklyn Nets on March 21, 2024. The defendants and co-conspirators placed bets on Beasley’s “under rebounds” prop bets, but lost as Beasley failed to perform in the game as planned.
Following the game, Plascencia demanded that Davis monetarily compensate the co-conspirators for their lost bets or arrange for Beasley to perform a fix in future games. Davis allegedly agreed to the latter but backtracked following reports that NBA player Jontay Porter was under investigation in a similar performance-fixing scandal. In 2024, Porter was indicted and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Joseph Nocella Jr., U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said in a statement that “the defendants turned professional basketball into a criminal betting operation.”
In a statement to The Epoch Times, Beasley’s attorney, Steve Haney, said his client maintains his innocence.
“An indictment is nothing but a probable cause one-sided charging document,” he said. “It is not evidence and Malik maintains his presumption of innocence throughout this two-year investigation. We ask that people reserve judgment until all the facts are known.”
Attorney information for the other defendants could not be found.
The indictment is the latest in a Department of Justice probe of fraudulent sports betting.
Last October, the department charged then-Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and then-Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups in investigations related to illegal gambling. Former NBA player Damon Jones was also arrested. Rozier was arrested in connection with an illegal sports betting scheme, while Billups was apprehended in relation to a rigged poker operation. Jones was allegedly connected to both schemes.
Rozier and Billups have pleaded not guilty, while Jones has pleaded guilty.
