NBA Gambling Charges
NBA Veteran Malik Beasley Indicted in Federal Gambling Scheme; Ed Davis Also Charged
Key Points
Beasley was playing in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN) in Puerto Rico for the Cangrejeros de Santurce at the time the charges were filed.
Beasley was the 19th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.
Over his nine-year NBA career, Beasley has played for six teams—Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Detroit Pistons.
Beasley twice finished as runner-up for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award during his career.
Nine-year NBA veteran Malik Beasley has been indicted on federal charges tied to a sports betting scheme, CNN reports. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York unsealed the indictment on June 29, 2026, charging Beasley with wire fraud conspiracy, sports bribery, and money laundering. Former NBA big man Ed Davis was also charged in the same probe.
Prosecutors say Beasley manipulated his on-court performance during Milwaukee Bucks games to satisfy millions of dollars in gambling debts. U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said the defendants "turned professional basketball into a criminal betting operation, eroding the integrity of American sports." Beasley's attorney Steve Haney said the team is coordinating a voluntary surrender this week and added, "We look forward to defending all charges."
How the Scheme Allegedly Worked, Game by Game
Prosecutors identified four specific Bucks games from January through March 2024 where Beasley allegedly altered his play, according to Hoops Rumors. The core scheme involved prop bets — wagers on individual player statistics like rebounds. Co-conspirators would place large bets on Beasley's totals, then Beasley would perform to hit or miss those numbers on purpose.
The scheme left a clear paper trail. During a January 31, 2024 Bucks game, a prop bet on Beasley recording under 2.5 rebounds shifted from +120 to -250 after heavy wagering, BasketNews reports. Sportsbooks flagged the unusual activity. On March 10, 2024, against the Clippers, conspirators reportedly bet the "over" on Beasley's rebounds — and he reached the number in the game's final seconds. A March 21 game against the Nets went wrong when Beasley failed to hit the targeted number.
Ed Davis Acted as Beasley's Alleged 'Gatekeeper'
Ed Davis, a 12-year NBA veteran and former Beasley teammate on the 2020-21 Minnesota Timberwolves, is described in the indictment as Beasley's "gatekeeper," according to Front Office Sports. Davis allegedly gave Beasley loans and coordinated with co-conspirators to place wagers, keeping Beasley at arm's length from the actual bets.
Prosecutors cite a text message from Davis to Beasley as key evidence. Davis allegedly wrote, "Only way you can beat Vegas is sports betting... Everything else they got the edge." Legal analysts quoted by Hoops Rumors called the message "smoking gun" evidence of intent to defraud. NBA agent Paolo Zamorano was also charged, accused of using inside information to profit from the illegal betting activity.
Gambling Debts Haunted a $60 Million Career
Despite earning roughly $60 million over nine NBA seasons, Beasley allegedly owed millions to private creditors and illegal bookmakers, Front Office Sports reports. The 2016 19th overall draft pick played for six teams — the Nuggets, Timberwolves, Jazz, Lakers, Bucks, and Pistons. He averaged 11.7 points over 578 career games and twice finished runner-up for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award.
The financial pressure mounted even as his on-court career appeared to rebound. In 2024-25, Beasley played all 82 games for Detroit and set a franchise record with 319 made three-pointers. But the pending probe cost him dearly — he reportedly lost a three-year, $42 million Pistons contract offer in 2025, BasketNews reports. By February 2026, he was playing in Puerto Rico's Baloncesto Superior Nacional for the Cangrejeros de Santurce.
Beasley Faces 20 Years as NBA Probe Widens
If convicted on all counts, Beasley and Davis each face a statutory maximum of 20 years in federal prison, according to the Department of Justice. The case is part of a broader federal sweep. Earlier charges in 2025-26 targeted Terry Rozier, Chauncey Billups, and Damon Jones. The NBA permanently banned Jontay Porter in 2024 after a similar prop-bet scandal, Complex reports.
The NBA said it is "cooperating with the federal prosecutors' investigation." Sports analysts have noted a grim irony: while allegedly under investigation, Beasley appeared to revive his career before the charges landed. Legal experts say even an acquittal may not save his NBA future. The league's zero-tolerance stance on gambling integrity makes a permanent ban likely regardless of the court outcome, WBAL reports.
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