Rozier, Co-Defendant Seek Separate Trials in NBA Betting Scandal
David Genge Published 27/10/2026
Former NBA player Terry Rozier and De'niro Laster, co-defendants in an NBA betting scandal, are asking a judge for separate trials. Lawyers representing the two men made the request to sever their trials in front of U.S. District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall in federal court in Brooklyn. Prosecutors are opposing this request. Both men have pleaded not guilty to all charges they are facing.
Rozier is accused of taking bribes to underperform in a 2023 NBA game when he was a member of the Charlotte Hornets. Laster is one of two men accused of bribing Rozier and then betting on the under on his player prop bets for the game.
Rozier denies his alleged role in this NBA betting scandal
From the outset, Rozier has denied any involvement in this alleged NBA betting scandal. His lawyers told the judge that, in their defense of Rozier, they plan to show that the guilty party in this case is Laster. This is the reason they are giving for the need to be severing the trials.
“Mr. Rozier’s lawyers will spend as much effort prosecuting Mr. Laster in this trial as the government,” reads the letter that was presented to Judge Hall. This is according to reporting by the website rg.org. Signatures on the letter are including Rozier’s attorney David Oscar Markus and Laster’s attorney M. Evan Corcoran.
The letter continues, insisting that Rozier "did not know about any bets" placed on his player props for the March 29, 2023 game. He indicated that he left the game because he was hurt. Rozier's legal team is citing NBA medical records that they say "demonstrate conclusively" he was injured.
In the letter, it also points out that Rozier went over his rebounds total in his player props for that game. This factor wound up causing many of the alleged bets placed on his player props to lose.
Prosecutors are saying the alleged bets in this betting scandal accusation are all under wagers on Rozier's player props for the game. However, they are giving no details about which props were being bet.
Prosecutors are challenging this request to sever the trials
The case that Rozier's lawyers are making to Judge Hall to get her to sever the trials falls under Rule 14(a) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. Rozier's lawyers argue that their client needs a separate trial. This would be allowing him to present his defense in full. It would be removing any disputes over how much of the case being made must be absorbed by a co-defendant. Laster's lawyers have joined the request because they argue it could hurt his case if he must face two prosecutors. That would mean the jury would be hearing the case against him twice.
Prosecutors are objecting to this proposal. In a previous letter, they noted that Rozier was paying for Laster's lawyer.
Judge Hall has not made a ruling on the request to sever the trials. The trial date would be beginning on February 7, 2027.
A third co-defendant in this alleged NBA betting scandal has already pleaded guilty
Marves “Vez” Fairley, a third co-defendant in this trial, pleaded guilty in May to seven counts. They include bribery, wire fraud, and money laundering.
“I agreed to pay a player to change their game performance to give me an advantage on bets I placed for myself and others,” Fairley told U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph Marutollo.
Fairley made an admission of the involvement of others in the scandal. He also stated that he'd made bets on behalf of NBA players.
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