Authorities indicted former NBA players Malik Beasley and Ed Davis in a Brooklyn federal courtroom on Monday. They charged the duo with crimes related to allegedly manipulating Beasley’s performances in NBA games and using inside information to profit from the betting scheme.
They also indicted suspected co-conspirators William Brown, Robert Gorodetsky, Ernesto Plascencia, and Paolo Zamorano. Zamorano served as Davis’s NBA agent.
All now face charges of wire fraud conspiracy, bribery in sporting contests, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy.
“As alleged, the defendants turned professional basketball into a criminal betting operation, bribing then-NBA player Malik Beasley to fix his performance in multiple games in order to place fraudulent wagers, enrich themselves, and cheat legitimate sportsbooks,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said.
“Bribery and insider betting schemes like this one involving former NBA players and a current NBA player agent who exploited inside NBA information for profit erode the integrity of American sports and victimize the sports-watching public. Our office will continue in its strong tradition of holding accountable anyone who seeks to corrupt sports through illegal means.”
Making ‘Good Money’
The investigation surrounding Beasley came to light in January. Investigators allege the operation began when Beasley was a member of the Milwaukee Bucks and agreed with his former NBA teammate Davis to underperform, and at times overperform, for the benefit of the bettors involved in the scheme.
According to the indictment, Davis was known to the other co-defendants as Beasley’s “gatekeeper.”
Davis, Brown, Gorodetsky, Plascencia, Zamorano and other co-conspirators used this non-public information to make fraudulent wagers based on Beasley’s performance in games.
The indictment notes that Beasley accrued millions of dollars in gambling debt during his nine-year career. In return for performance fixing, Beasley allegedly received bribes from the co-conspirators by having his gambling debts to Davis reduced or paid off, according to investigators.
At one point, Davis allegedly texted Beasley in December 2023: “Only way you can beat Vegas is sports betting. We can make some good money.”
The Justice Department offered several examples of how the operation functioned. For example, the 29-year-old former Florida State Seminole allegedly promised to underperform in regard to rebounds on Jan. 26, 2024, in a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in return for a bribe.
Defendants Stress They’re Not Guilty
In total, those involved in the alleged scheme placed wagers totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars conditioned on Beasley’s fixed performance issue via multiple betting operators, according to the indictment.
“As alleged, Malik Beasley allowed himself to be bought and altered his gametime performance to line pockets of Ed Davis and his other co-conspirators,” FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr. said.
“The FBI continues to dismantle fraudulent schemes that erode the integrity of any institution, including our nation’s professional sports leagues.”
Beasley’s attorney, Steve Haney, told ESPN that his client would surrender to authorities this week. Beasley continues to assert that he isn’t guilty of the charges against him.
“An indictment is not proof of guilt or evidence,” Haney said. “It is merely a charge of probable cause. The investigation was a year and a half long, and we maintain Malik’s innocence of all charges.”
Other defendants in the case have also expressed their innocence.
NBA Under Fire
This case comes as the NBA has grappled with other gambling controversies recently. In October, former NBA player Damon Jones and Miami Heat point guard Terry Rozier were indicted for a similar illegal sports betting operation.
Additionally, former Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups was arrested for allegedly being part of rigged poker games that were allegedly run by New York organized crime. Jones was also implicated in that scheme as well and was expected to plead guilty in the sports betting case.
