Feds Still Investigating Terry Rozier in Betting Probe, Lawyer Says He’s “Not a Target”
A federal investigation into suspicious betting surrounding Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier remains active, even after the NBA cleared him of wrongdoing. The probe is part of the same investigation that led to a lifetime ban for former NBA player Jontay Porter.
Lawyer Maintains Rozier’s Innocence
While the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York continues its investigation, Rozier’s lawyer, Jim Trusty, maintains his client’s innocence. Trusty stated that “my client is not a target of the investigation”and expressed frustration that Rozier is enduring public scrutiny simply because he is a “big name in sports.”
Trusty said he hopes prosecutors will eventually conclude their investigation and reach the same findings as the NBA did in 2023 when it cleared Rozier.
“Federal investigations can take years to complete, and the government rarely lets the subject of an investigation know whether or not they have been cleared,” Trusty added. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has declined to confirm or deny Rozier’s status in the ongoing probe.
The Suspicious Wagers
The investigation centers on a series of unusual bets placed before a March 23, 2023, game between the Charlotte Hornets and the New Orleans Pelicans. A professional bettor placed 30 separate “under” bets on Rozier’s stats, totaling $13,759, all within a 46-minute window.
The betting activity, which occurred primarily in Louisiana and Mississippi, triggered alerts from at least six sportsbooks. U.S. Integrity, a monitoring firm, issued a nationwide alert about the suspicious wagers that afternoon.
Most major sportsbooks pulled bets on Rozier within an hour. Rozier, who was not on the pre-game injury report, played just 10 minutes before leaving with a foot injury, causing all 30 “under” bets to win.
A Casino Payout Dispute
Harrah’s Gulf Coast, a Caesars property, initially refused to pay out the winnings. The casino cited its house rules against “manipulation” and the “suspected use of insider information,” and asked the Mississippi Gaming Commission (MGC) for permission to void the bets.
The MGC pushed back, asking Caesars a critical question: “Has Caesars been able to come up with any evidence to support this being insider information? If not, the property… will need to pay out the wagers.” A week later, on April 12, 2023, Caesars informed the MGC it was settling the bets. The bettor received a net payout of $13,017.70.
The federal investigation into Rozier is directly linked to the Jontay Porter case. Some of the same betting accounts that wagered on Porter, who received a lifetime ban for conspiring to fix his own stats, also bet on the Rozier game.
Despite this connection, Rozier’s lawyer stated his client “does not have a connection to any of the people implicated in the Porter case.” The broader federal probe also includes an examination of suspicious betting activity involving veteran NBA player Malik Beasley.
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