Former NBA Player Faces Charges Over Alleged Game Fixing Scheme
A former player for the Milwaukee Bucks, Malik Beasley, has been implicated in a federal indictment over allegations of engaging in illegal sports betting. The charges suggest that Beasley manipulated his on-court performance to influence betting outcomes during the 2023-2024 NBA season.
The indictment, filed in the Eastern District of New York, details accusations against Beasley, along with another ex-NBA player, Edward Davis, and four additional individuals. These individuals are accused of profiting from manipulated game statistics to place fraudulent bets.
“As alleged, the defendants turned professional basketball into a criminal betting operation, bribing then-NBA player Malik Beasley to fix his performance in multiple games in order to place fraudulent wagers, enrich themselves and cheat legitimate sportsbooks,” stated Joseph Nocella Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
The investigation reveals that prior to certain games, Beasley conspired with Davis to either exceed or fall short of specific statistical benchmarks, creating opportunities for the group to place bets with guaranteed outcomes. This scheme allegedly aimed to exploit betting markets for personal gain.
The indictment further claims that Beasley amassed significant gambling debts during his NBA career. In exchange for manipulating his game performance, he allegedly received bribes from his co-conspirators, typically in the form of debt reductions or settlements.
“These defendants allegedly operated an illegal betting ring in an attempt to unlawfully earn hundreds of thousands of dollars,” commented James Barnacle Jr., Assistant Director in Charge at the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He added, “As alleged, Malik Beasley allowed himself to be bought and altered his game-time performance to line pockets of Ed Davis and his other co-conspirators.”
The charges leveled against Beasley and the other defendants include conspiracy to commit wire fraud, bribery in sporting contests, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Attempts to reach Beasley’s attorney for comment were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
