Federal prosecutors are urging a judge to incarcerate a co-defendant in the Terry Rozier sports betting scandal, alleging that he has attempted to influence witnesses while awaiting trial.
Deniro Laster, a long-time friend of the former Miami Heat guard, is accused by prosecutors of facilitating a scheme where Rozier allegedly accepted a $100,000 bribe to exit a Charlotte Hornets game early in March 2023.
This maneuver purportedly allowed a betting syndicate, equipped with insider knowledge, to capitalize on player prop bets. Both Laster and Rozier have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Witness Intimidation Allegations
In a document filed on August 4 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, prosecutors requested that U.S. District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall revoke Laster’s pretrial release, arguing he has “repeatedly and blatantly violated” the terms of his release through witness intimidation and obstruction.
Prosecutors allege that Laster attempted to identify cooperating witnesses, reached out to them via intermediaries, and urged at least one co-defendant not to collaborate with authorities.
Additionally, they claim that an Instagram account associated with Laster posted an image of a rat, which they perceive as an effort to intimidate potential witnesses.
The prosecution noted that they are aware of two more alleged witness-tampering incidents that remain sealed due to their association with grand jury proceedings.
“The revocation of Deniro Laster’s bail is essential to ensure his compliance with the Court’s directives,” prosecutors asserted.
Intimidating Associations
Prosecutors further allege that both Laster and Rozier are connected to a group titled GMB, whose members have publicly claimed to possess firearms.
They referenced social media images purportedly showing group members with guns, arguing that this context intensified the intimidation factor of the “rat” post for potential witnesses.
Rozier’s attorney, David Markus, criticized these assertions as an unjust move to biasedly sway opinions against his client.
Markus clarified that GMB stands for “Get More Blessings,” representing Rozier’s philanthropic initiative, and emphasized that Rozier has not faced any charges involving firearms or witness tampering.
“In this situation, GMB signifies Government’s Massive Blunder,” Markus remarked, branding the prosecution’s references as a “dog whistle.”
Scheduled for trial in February 2027, Rozier faces several charges including sports bribery, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy for honest services wire fraud, and conspiracy for money laundering, all of which he denies.