Ex-NBA player pleads not guilty over alleged betting scheme
Former NBA player Malik Beasley has pleaded not guilty to four federal charges alleging he conspired with gamblers to manipulate player prop bets during the 2023/24 season.
Beasley appeared in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York on Wednesday, where he denied charges of sports bribery, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, honest services fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering before being released on a US$100,000 bond and ordered to return to court on August 6.
Federal prosecutors allege Beasley, who was playing for the Milwaukee Bucks at the time, accepted bribes to influence points-and-rebounds prop bets, with former teammate Ed Davis accused of acting as a middleman while Beasley allegedly sought to repay gambling-related debts incurred during his NBA career.
Registered National Basketball Players Association agent Paolo Zamorano also pleaded not guilty in Brooklyn on Wednesday and was released on a US$100,000 bond, with both men scheduled to reappear before the court next month.
If convicted, Beasley faces maximum penalties of 20 years’ imprisonment on the wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy charges, as well as up to five years for sports bribery, in a case prosecutors say undermines the integrity of professional sport and regulated betting markets.
