SOUTHWEST RANCHES, FLA. (WSVN) - Allegations and arrests have rattled the sports world and fans across the country, and basketball fans in South Florida are no exception.
Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was arrested Thursday in connection to an illegal sports gambling scheme under investigation by the FBI.
“They relied on corrupt individuals, including Jones and Rozier. They also used information obtained through longstanding friendship that they had with NBA players and coaches,” said Joseph Nocella, the top federal prosecutor for the Eastern District of New York.
Rozier is accused of passing private insider information about a single game to a network of sports bettors, resulting in big wins.
According to the federal indictment, the alleged crime occurred during the 2023 season when Rozier was playing for the Charlotte Hornets. During one of the games that took place in March of that year against the New Orleans Pelicans, he allegedly told his childhood friend and codefendant Deniro Laster a secret plan.
Court documents reveal “Rozier was going to prematurely remove himself from the game in the first quarter due to a supposed injury and not return to play further…Laster sold the information…to multiple coconspirators…to enable them to place fraudulent wagers based on the non-public information…In exchange for approximately $100,000 from their expected fraudulent gambling winnings…”
Prosecutors add the athlete’s “early exit from the March 23 Game and his related underperformance relative to his season averages…resulted in the success of numerous fraudulent wagers placed on Rozier’s unders by the defendants and their co-conspirators. And “After…Laster collected his cut of the fraudulent wagering scheme proceeds…Laster drove…to the defendant Terry Rozier’s home in Charlotte…During the early morning hours of April 1, 2023, Laster and Rozier counted the money that Laster had obtained…”
It’s unclear if Rozier received any money for his alleged involvement in this crime.
Number two Terry Rozier jerseys were taken down from the official Miami Heat Store site online and no Rozier jerseys were seen on the racks of the Kaseya Center downtown store.
The accusations and arrests left fans in downtown Miami stunned. Some of them expressed how they felt to 7News.
“I don’t get it, because it’s like, if I was In their shoes, you know, I make millions, I don’t know why you have to be in a gambling situation like that, but it’s just crazy,” said a fan. “Like, hopefully there’s no other players, but I was just watching, it says up to 30 people arrested, so it’s just crazy.”
“I’m not surprised. There’s so much money in sports these days,” said another fan.
“I think, maybe in a year or two, I don’t think we’re going to be able to bet at all,” said a third fan.
Those near the Kaseya Center said the latest revelations puts a stain on the league and professional sports.
“It’s like we don’t know what’s real, what’s fake, if they are really playing, if they aren’t,” said a fan.
“You want to feel like the outcome is undetermined,” said another fan.
The Heat are set to play in Memphis Friday night. They will be back home at the Kaseya Center on Sunday.
According to a statement from the NBA, Rozier has been placed on immediate leave from the team as well as Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, who was involved in a separate gambling scheme also under investigation by the FBI.
As of late Thursday afternoon, the Heat have not made any comment on the situation.
Rozier has bonded out of jail on certain conditions, including using his multi-million dollar home in Southwest Ranches as collateral.
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