Federal Prosecutors Seek Incarceration of Rozier Co-Defendant for Witness Tampering

Federal prosecutors have filed a motion requesting the incarceration of De'Niro Laster, childhood friend of NBA player Terry Rozier and a key defendant in an ongoing federal gambling investigation, alleging he has violated the conditions of his release by threatening witnesses and obstructing justice, according to Front Office Sports. The motion, a significantly redacted 13-page letter filed with the Eastern District of New York in the week of August 5, 2026, escalates legal jeopardy in a case that has already drawn scrutiny of an active NBA player.

Laster was first charged in the government's sports betting case in October (year unspecified in reporting), with charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, each carrying a potential 20-year prison sentence. Two additional charges were added in a superseding indictment made public in May 2026. According to the indictment, Rozier informed Laster he would fake an injury and remove himself from a March 2023 game while with the Hornets, per Front Office Sports. Laster allegedly sold that information to multiple co-conspirators, who wagered approximately 100,000 dollars on Rozier betting lines, the reporting states.

Prosecutors allege Laster has been attempting to interfere with the investigation since at least 2024, more than a year before his arrest. Sometime after September 2024, Laster and other co-conspirators allegedly expressed suspicions that an unnamed individual (identity redacted) was cooperating with the government. Social media accounts belonging to Laster have posted rat emojis, which prosecutors explained refers to a person perceived as a snitch, informant, or cooperator with law enforcement, according to Front Office Sports.

The government has also raised concerns about a group called GMB that includes Laster, Rozier, and other associates, stating the group has displayed access to firearms through photos on social media posted before the charges were filed. Rozier's attorney David Markus responded that GMB stands for Get More Blessings, the motto of Rozier's nonprofit foundation, 12 Blessings, and that the nickname originated with Rozier's high school basketball team, per the reporting. The government also flagged that Rozier is paying Laster's legal fees, which prosecutors argue creates a potential conflict of interest.

Rozier's defense team has mounted a challenge to the government's case. In the week before August 5, Rozier's attorneys asked the judge to drop two counts, claiming Rozier never agreed to manipulate his performance and did not know gamblers were wagering on him. They cited a text thread between Laster and another gambler instructing not to tell Rozier about the bets, arguing, according to Front Office Sports, that "One does not hide a bet from the person who supposedly sold it." Federal prosecutors responded by denying the request and stating they have "developed evidence from multiple sources that this text chain does not relate to sports gambling."

Markus characterized the prosecution's actions as "a desperate attempt by the government to taint Terry because it sees its case is falling apart." He also stated that "Terry has never been charged with any firearms offense or with intimidating a witness, and nothing in this filing alleges that he did either." Laster is represented by attorney Matthew Evan Corcoran. Rozier is set to stand trial on February 8, 2027, facing charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, bribery in sporting contests, and honest services wire fraud conspiracy, per Front Office Sports.