NBA player Malik Beasley has been indicted on federal charges related to a sports betting scheme, his attorney confirmed this week. Beasley is expected to voluntarily surrender to authorities.
The indictment alleges that Beasley, a former sharp-shooting guard, manipulated his performance in games during the 2024 season, when he was with the Milwaukee Bucks, to align with betting trends. The scheme involved alleged point shaving and prop bets, with prosecutors stating the goal was to pay off gambling debts.
U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. stated that schemes like this, involving current and former NBA players and agents exploiting insider information for profit, undermine the integrity of American sports. The indictment includes six other individuals, among them former NBA player Ed Davis and NBA agent Paolo Zamorano. The scheme is reported to involve hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Prosecutors detailed specific instances where Beasley allegedly altered his performance. On January 26, 2024, in a game against the Cavaliers, Beasley played 27 minutes, scoring three points on 1-of-2 shooting with three rebounds and one assist. Further alleged manipulations occurred on February 27, March 10, and March 21 of the same season. On March 10, bettors allegedly placed wagers on Beasley exceeding a certain number of rebounds in a game against the Clippers.
Beasley, who was a first-round draft pick in 2016 and has career earnings of approximately $59.9 million, reportedly had substantial gambling losses. Davis is alleged to have loaned Beasley money to help with these debts, leading to their alleged collaboration with others to bet on Beasley's game performance.
Beasley, Davis, Zamorano, and two other defendants, William Brown and Robert Gorodetsky, face charges including sports bribery, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, honest services fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
This indictment comes after a period where Beasley had been out of the league, awaiting the investigation's outcome. Prior to these revelations, Beasley had been offered a three-year, $42 million contract by the Detroit Pistons, which the team rescinded after becoming aware of the federal investigation.