Prosecutors allege witness tampering in Rozier betting case

Federal prosecutors alleged Tuesday that Deniro Laster, a childhood friend and co-defendant of NBA player Terry Rozier in an ongoing gambling investigation, has repeatedly violated the conditions of his pretrial release through witness intimidation. In a court filing, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York stated that Laster has engaged in conduct ranging from social media threats to direct contact with other defendants in the case, according to ESPN's reporting.

The legal action against Laster underscores the escalating pressure on defendants in a case that began with allegations that Rozier sold non-public information to sports bettors. Prosecutors allege that when Rozier informed Laster of his plan to leave a March 2023 game between the Charlotte Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans early, Laster sold that information to fellow bettors, and Rozier and Laster agreed to a bribe of roughly $70,000 in exchange.

Among the specific allegations, prosecutors said Instagram accounts associated with Laster posted rat emojis on at least two occasions. Prosecutors argued that these posts, combined with Laster's reputation as someone who owned firearms and typically carried a gun, suggested an intent to intimidate witnesses. Prosecutors also alleged that Laster has attempted to contact co-defendants both directly and through intermediaries, conduct that would violate his bond conditions.

In response to Laster's alleged violations, prosecutors asked a judge to revoke his bond and hold him in custody until trial. A status conference in the case for all defendants is scheduled for Tuesday, according to ESPN.

Rozier and Laster have both pleaded not guilty to charges that include conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud. Trial is scheduled for February 8, 2027. Rozier's attorneys have asked a judge to dismiss the charges against him, citing a court filing in which Laster texted "Dont tell chum bout the bet" (with "chum" being Rozier's nickname) to an unidentified recipient. Rozier's defense argued this suggests Rozier was unaware of the alleged betting scheme. Prosecutors responded that they have evidence indicating the text exchange does not relate to sports gambling.

An attorney for Laster did not immediately respond to ESPN's request for comment, leaving his response to the witness-tampering allegations unaddressed in the reporting. The court filing is partially redacted, limiting public visibility into the full scope of the allegations.