NBA player Malik Beasley is set to plead guilty on December 9 to charges related to illegal sports gambling. His attorney confirmed this to various news outlets. Beasley has been accused of manipulating his gameplay during certain 2024 games to benefit sports bettors and diminish his own financial obligations.
In July, Beasley initially entered a not guilty plea in a New York federal court. He is one of several high-profile individuals implicated in a broad federal investigation into gambling activities. Alongside his sports agent, Paolo Zamorano, who also pleaded not guilty, Beasley is among six individuals charged in a summer indictment. The case has resulted in over three dozen arrests.
Mar 30, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley (5) reacts during the second quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. (Matt Krohn/Imagn Images)
Accusations against Beasley include altering his performance in at least four games with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2024. Allegedly, Beasley either underperformed or exceeded predicted outcomes to align with bookmakers’ interests. The indictment suggests bettors paid him, leading to reductions or cancellations of his debts to Ed Davis, a former teammate.
Beasley reportedly sought financial help from Davis after accruing significant gambling-related debts. His financial challenges are well-documented, involving legal disputes with a Detroit landlord, a Milwaukee barber, and a Minnesota dentist. A sports marketing agency lawsuit in 2025 resulted in a $1 million default judgment against him.
Beasley, Davis, and another party face charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, sports bribery, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Beasley last played in the NBA with the Detroit Pistons during the 2024-25 season on a one-year, $6 million contract. He maintained an average of 16 points per game, scoring 20 in his final match, a playoff loss to the New York Knicks.
Mar 19, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley (5) looks on against the Miami Heat during the fourth quarter at Kaseya Center. (Sam Navarro/Imagn Images)
The NBA was significantly affected by a gambling scandal the previous year. High-profile figures Terry Rozier, Chauncey Billups, and Damon Jones were among those arrested. Damon Jones, the first to plead guilty, admitted to conspiring to defraud sports betting companies, leveraging insider information from his NBA connections.
Jones divulged to an acquaintance that a ‘prominent’ Los Angeles Lakers player—speculated to be LeBron James—would miss a February 9, 2023, game prior to public disclosure. James did not participate due to an ankle injury two days after surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s scoring record.
Jones also allegedly provided insider knowledge about another top Lakers player, believed to be Anthony Davis, concerning an injury expected to impact performance. However, that prediction proved incorrect as the player excelled, securing a Lakers victory.
Malik Beasley #5 of the Detroit Pistons looks on against the Washington Wizards at Little Caesars Arena on March 13, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
Rozier faces accusations of removing himself from a game, facilitating bettors profiting from ‘under’ props. Meanwhile, Jontay Porter serves a prison sentence for illegal sports gambling activities.
The Associated Press provided additional information for this report.