US prosecutors accuse Terry Rozier co-defendant of witness tampering
Federal prosecutors have accused a co-defendant in Terry Rozier’s ongoing NBA betting case of witness tampering, alleging he used rat emojis on social media to intimidate individuals involved in the trial.
The US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York filed a motion on Tuesday to revoke the bond of Deniro Laster.
Authorities claim the childhood friend of the NBA guard has repeatedly and flagrantly violated the conditions of his release.
It is alleged that the accused attempted to contact fellow defendants directly and through intermediaries.
Intimidation claims and rat emojis
Court documents state that Instagram accounts linked to Laster posted rat emojis on at least two separate occasions.
Prosecutors argued this behaviour, combined with his reputation for carrying firearms, demonstrated a clear intent to intimidate perceived witnesses.
Revocation of Deniro Laster’s bail is the only means of ensuring that he will comply with the Court’s orders, refrain from further criminal conduct, preserve the integrity of these proceedings, and protect witnesses or perceived witnesses.
A spokesperson for the US Attorney’s Office declined to comment further ahead of a scheduled status conference.
The $70,000 betting scheme
The underlying gambling scandal centres around a March 2023 fixture between the Charlotte Hornets and the New Orleans Pelicans.
Prosecutors allege the basketball star informed his associate that he planned to exit the game early, allowing fraudulent wagers to be placed.
The pair allegedly agreed to a bribe of approximately $70,000 in exchange for the inside information.
However, defence attorneys recently produced a text message appearing to show Laster telling an unidentified person not to tell “Chum”, an established nickname for the former Hornets guard, about the bet.
Federal officials have countered this claim, suggesting they possess evidence proving the text exchange is unrelated to sports gambling.
Wire fraud and money laundering charges
Both men face serious charges including conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud.
The two defendants have pleaded not guilty to all accusations and are currently awaiting a trial scheduled for 8 February 2027.
Legal representatives for the professional athlete have formally requested a judge dismiss the charges against him entirely.
An attorney representing his co-defendant has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the latest tampering allegations.