Malik Beasley Nears Plea Deal in NBA Betting Case
WHO:
CBS News - Malik Beasley, 29, a former NBA player, is negotiating a plea agreement with the Department of Justice after pleading not guilty to federal charges.
Bleacher Report - Beasley’s attorney, Steve Haney, told The Associated Press that he and the government were negotiating an agreement.
CBS News - Beasley and sports agent Paolo Zamorano, 39, were among six people charged in the alleged gambling scheme. Zamorano also pleaded not guilty.
CBS News - Co-defendant and former NBA player Ed Davis lent money to Beasley and is accused of acting as his “gatekeeper.” Zamorano formerly represented Davis.
CBS News - Former NBA player Damon Jones, 49, became the first person to plead guilty in the federal gambling investigation.
Bleacher Report - Beasley borrowed money from Davis, a former teammate, after accumulating millions of dollars in gambling losses.
WHAT:
CBS News - Prosecutors charged all six people with wire fraud conspiracy, bribery in sporting contests, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy.
CBS News - The gambling investigation has involved more than three dozen arrests.
CBS News - Beasley is accused of fixing or trying to fix his performance in at least four games for the Milwaukee Bucks, under- or overperforming bookmakers’ expectations.
CBS News - The indictment alleges bettors bribed Beasley and that his debts to Davis were reduced or eliminated.
CBS News - Beasley’s financial disputes reportedly involved a Detroit landlord, a Milwaukee barber, and a Minnesota dentist. A sports marketing agency’s lawsuit resulted in a $1 million default judgment against him.
CBS News - Beasley played for the Detroit Pistons on a one-year, $6 million contract, averaged 16 points per game, and scored 20 points in his final game, a playoff loss to the New York Knicks. He is one of five NBA players to make more than 300 three-pointers in a season.
CBS News - Davis played for eight NBA franchises over a 12-year career, earned roughly $48 million in gross salary, averaged 5.9 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, and last appeared in the NBA in 2022.
WHERE:
CBS News - Beasley entered his not-guilty plea in New York federal court.
CBS News - Beasley played for the Milwaukee Bucks during the games at the center of the allegations; he and Davis were briefly teammates in Minnesota.
WHEN:
CBS News - The alleged performance manipulation took place in 2024; Beasley’s cited Pistons contract was for the 2024–25 season.
CBS News - Beasley’s plea negotiations were reported Saturday; Haney said they were proceeding “with an expected direction in the coming days.”
CBS News - Davis’s cited text to Beasley was sent on Jan. 26, 2024.
CBS News - Jones pleaded guilty in April; Beasley entered his not-guilty plea in July. The articles do not specify the years for these months.
WHY:
CBS News - The charges allege Beasley altered his play to enrich sports bettors and ease his debts.
CBS News - The articles say Beasley borrowed from Davis after gambling losses reached millions of dollars.
HOW:
CBS News - According to the indictment, Beasley allegedly under- or overperformed bookmakers’ expectations, while bettors bribed him and his debts to Davis were reduced or eliminated.
CBS News - The indictment quotes Davis telling Beasley: “Only way you can beat Vegas is sports betting. Everything else they got the edge.”
Former NBA player Malik Beasley is negotiating a plea agreement with the Justice Department after pleading not guilty to federal charges in New York. His attorney, Steve Haney, says the discussions are underway, with an expected direction in the coming days. Prosecutors accuse Beasley of fixing, or trying to fix, his performance in at least four Milwaukee Bucks games by playing below or above bookmakers’ expectations. The indictment alleges bettors bribed him and that money he owed former teammate Ed Davis was reduced or erased. Beasley reportedly borrowed from Davis after gambling losses reached millions of dollars. Beasley and sports agent Paolo Zamorano are among six people charged with conspiracy counts involving wire fraud, bribery, honest services fraud, and money laundering; Zamorano also pleaded not guilty.