Former NBA player Malik Beasley pleads not guilty in gambling scandal

Former NBA player Malik Beasley pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges stemming from an alleged sports betting scheme in which prosecutors say he manipulated his on-court appearance to benefit bettors.

Beasley, 29, who wore a navy suit during the brief arraignment in Brooklyn, New York, acknowledged that he read the indictment and understood the charges.

He spoke very little, allowing his attorney to enter a not guilty plea on his behalf. A magistrate judge released him on a $100,000 bond, with his mother and father co-signing.

Beasley is also prohibited from gambling or contacting witnesses and co-defendants.

Federal prosecutors alleged that Beasley, while he was playing for the Milwaukee Bucks, agreed with another ex-NBA player, Ed Davis, in 2024 to fix his performance in multiple games so Davis and others could place fraudulent wagers on his performance.

In exchange, Beasley accepted bribes, which were used to pay off debts that he owed Davis, according to the indictment. Federal prosecutors said Davis gave Beasley several loans after he racked up millions in gambling debt, even though Beasley earned tens of millions of dollars during his nine-year NBA career.

Prosecutors detailed at least four games in which the defendants are alleged to have schemed to have Beasley manipulate individual game stats for the benefit of gamblers.

In one instance, authorities allege, Beasley told co-defendants to bet on his securing fewer than 3.5 rebounds during the Bucks-Cleveland Cavaliers game on Jan. 6, 2024. He pulled down one board that night.

The illegal gambling ring placed wagers totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars, including bets amounting to$75,000 with winnings of at least $121,000, authorities say.

Six people, including Beasley and Davis, were charged in the indictment with wire fraud conspiracy, bribery in sporting contests, honest services wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Weintraub, who appeared with Kaitlin Farrell on behalf of the government, said Beasley has known about the federal investigation for about a year.

Beasley’s attorney, Jason Goldman, told reporters that Beasley looks forward to fighting the charges.

“This is only the very beginning of things. An arrest means nothing. An indictment means nothing,” Goldman said.

Beasley is due back in court for a status conference in August.

He is the latest person charged in a growing sports gambling investigation led by prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York.

Last year, current and former NBA players, along with a coach, were among nearly three dozen people indicted in connection with two major alleged operations. One case zeroed in on the rigging of poker games backed by the Mafia and the other on the use of nonpublic information to place wagers on multiple NBA games.

Among the defendants are former Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and ex-NBA player Damon Jones, as well as members and associates of four major Mafia crime families.

In April, Jones, 49, pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his role to defraud major sportsbooks, including DraftKings and FanDuel, and swindle millions of dollars from poker players.

Federal prosecutors said that Jones is a co-conspirator in the new indictment involving Beasley and Davis and that his involvement is likely to be considered when he is sentenced.

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