Terry Rozier fights to dismiss betting charges keeping him off the court
Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier is taking his fight to federal court this week, asking a judge to throw out the sports betting and wire fraud charges that have kept him sidelined all season. His lawyers claim prosecutors are making a mountain out of a molehill, turning what should be a limited issue into a major federal case.
They argue the government is stretching the law way beyond what it was meant to cover.
Rozier, 31, has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. He was released on a $3 million bond after his December arraignment but hasn’t received a paycheck from the Heat since being indicted.
The core of Rozier’s defense hinges on a 2023 Supreme Court ruling that put limits on how broadly the federal wire fraud statute can be applied. His attorneys argue that prosecutors can’t use a sweeping interpretation of the law to criminalize behavior that would normally be handled by state regulations or civil lawsuits.
They point out that sportsbooks could easily resolve violations of their terms of service without getting the feds involved.
What’s particularly interesting is the gap between how prosecutors describe the case versus what’s actually in the indictment. While the government has framed this as “insider betting and rigging professional basketball games,” Rozier’s lawyers say the actual charges focus on bettors breaking sportsbooks’ terms of service.
The incident in question happened back on March 23, 2023, when Rozier was playing for the Charlotte Hornets.
Prosecutors claim he played just nine minutes against the New Orleans Pelicans before leaving with a foot injury. They allege he tipped off his friend, Deniro “Niro” Laster, about his plans to exit early. That information was supposedly shared or sold to others who placed more than $250,000 in prop bets on Rozier’s limited playing time.
But Rozier’s defense team emphasizes that the indictment doesn’t accuse him of placing any bets himself. They also argue he had no idea his friend would sell the information to bettors or that using such information would break sportsbook rules.
The charges have kept Rozier off the court for most of the 2025-26 season, affecting both his career and the Heat’s roster plans. With no paycheck coming in and a veteran guard spot sitting empty, both Rozier and Miami are feeling the impact.
The judge has scheduled another hearing for March 2026. If Rozier’s motion succeeds, the federal case could be dismissed entirely. If not, he’ll continue fighting the charges in court.
His legal team remains confident that federal prosecutors have overreached and haven’t met the proper standard for pursuing wire fraud charges in a case like this.
