Terry Rozier’s court case took a wild turn on Friday.
Rozier, under federal investigation for four criminal counts — including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering — revealed text messages that he believes will exonerate him from the case.
In a new filing, the former Hornets and Heat star said that he never manipulated his performance for the sake of helping bettors cash in big money. Rozier cited a text message sent from Deniro Laster, Rozier’s friend and co-defendant, six days after a March 29, 2023 game which he is accused of pulling himself out of with a phantom injury.
“Dont tell chum bout the bet,” Laster said in the message, allegedly instructing a person to keep Rozier out of the betting loop.
The defense asked a federal judge to throw out two of the four charges that were brought against him by the U.S. Department of Justice, claiming the text proves he had no knowledge of the transgressions.
“This should end the case,” Rozier, who is represented by David Markus and Margot Moss, said. “One does not hide a bet from the person who supposedly sold it.”
Federal prosecutors argue that Rozier agreed to accept a $100,000 payment to take himself out early from the 2023 game so that a group of gamblers could win bets.
“Terry Rozier is innocent,” lawyers for Rozier added. “He is a basketball player, not a gambler. He never bet on anything, never agreed to underperform, never did underperform, and did not know that anyone was wagering on his statistics in the Charlotte Hornets’ March 23, 2023, game.”
Rozier faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted, and he has been released from his contract with the Miami Heat.
