The US Justice Department laid out in detail this morning how several NBA players and coaches, including Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, allegedly used non-public information about upcoming NBA games to allow others to profit on betting.
These are the relevant games listed by the Justice Department in a news release:
March 23, 2023 — Charlotte Hornets vs. New Orleans Pelicans
Rozier allegedly tipped off longtime friend Deniro Laster that he planned to leave the game early due to a supposed injury. He then left the game after 9 minutes, “generating tens of thousands of dollars in profits,” according to the DOJ.
March 24, 2023 — Portland Trail Blazers vs. Chicago Bulls
Defendant Eric Earnest allegedly “received, and then passed on, insider information from a longtime friend, an NBA coach at the time, that several of the Blazers’ top players would sit out a game against the Chicago Bulls,” the DOJ said.
April 6, 2023 — Orlando Magic vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
A co-conspirator allegedly “leveraged a relationship” with a Magic player to learn that several of the team’s top players would sit out a game against the Cavaliers, the DOJ said.
February 9, 2023 — Los Angeles Lakers vs. Milwaukee Bucks and January 15, 2024 — Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Former NBA player Damon Jones allegedly “shared and sold insider information on numerous occasions about undisclosed information relating to NBA games, such as lineup decisions and pre-release medical information, to his co-conspirators,” according to the DOJ. One of these exchanges came ahead of a game in which superstar LeBron James did not play.
January 26, 2024 — Toronto Raptors vs. Los Angeles Clippers and March 20, 2024 — Toronto Raptors vs. Sacramento Kings
Former Raptors player Jontay Porter allegedly told connections that “he would prematurely exit the games” due to supposed injuries, the DOJ said.
