Former NBA player Terry Rozier wants to get back to the game, but a New York federal judge late Wednesday declined to change the conditions of his bond to allow him to speak with certain players who were Rozier’s teammates when he played for the Charlotte Hornets.
“Unfortunately there is a consequence of being under indictment,” Eastern District of New York Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall said when Rozier’s lawyer said the decision could be considered a ban on Rozier returning to the NBA. Rozier is under indictment as part of far-reaching illegal wagering scandal in which he is accused of altering his play to make certain bets cash. Rozier was charged last October with conspiracy wire fraud and money laundering, and government lawyers added sports bribery and honest services wire fraud conspiracy in late May.
As part of his bond, there are 12 current or former Hornets players on a government no-contact list. Those players are now spread across four teams.
Rozier previously violated his bond when he sent a text to a former teammate to tell the teammate they were not allowed to communicate. DeArcy Hall said that violation was clear, and that in taking that action, Rozier showed that “he believes he knows better than the court,” per Courthouse News Service. Rozier is free on $3 million bond.
Rozier was playing for the Hornets when he allegedly altered his play and shared proprietary information with bettors. DeArcy Hall previously changed Rozier’s bond requirements to allow him to speak with players from his last team, the Miami Heat. That team released him in April.
DeArcy Hall opted not to rule on Rozier’s request to travel to Canada until a reason to travel develops. Rozier’s lawyer argued that Rozier would have to be allowed to travel to Canada in order to play in the NBA, as the Toronto Raptors are located there.
Ironically, Jontay Porter, who is awaiting sentencing for his own part in an illegal sports betting scandal, played for the Raptors where he was indicted. DeArcy Hall is also the judge assigned to Porter’s case, and denied him travel when he asked to go to Greece to play professional basketball.
LV casinos fined over illegal bookie Bowyer
In other betting-scandal-related news, the Nevada Gaming Commission has issued a $7.2 million fine to the Venetian Resort for activity around illegal bookmaker Mathew Bowyer, The Nevada Independent reported Thursday. The Nevada Gaming Control Board will consider the matter next month. The company is the fourth to be fined by Nevada regulators, and its penalty is the lowest. Bowyer was convicted last summer and has already been released from prison.
Within the last year, Caesars Entertainment ($7.8 million), MGM Resorts International ($8.5 million), and Resorts World Las Vegas ($10.5 million) also were issued penalties for allowing Bowyer to play.
According to legal documents, Bowyer deposited more than $22 million at the Venetian, wagered millions, and lost at least $3.6 million. As has been alleged in other complaints regarding Bowyer, the regulator wrote that it was clear that Venetian employees were aware Bowyer was an illegal bookie, but allowed him to play.
Bowyer has been banned from the Venetian since 2024, and in April was added to Las Vegas’ “black book.”
