Terry Rozier's Lawyers Seek Dismissal of Federal Charges

Attorneys for former NBA player Terry Rozier filed a motion on Friday, July 31, 2026, seeking the dismissal of two federal charges against him, arguing a newly revealed text message proves he was unaware of an alleged sports gambling scheme. The filing represents a key development in a case that has jeopardized the 32-year-old guard's career.

Rozier faces four criminal counts, including sports bribery, honest services fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The charges stem from a March 23, 2023, game while he played for the Charlotte Hornets. Federal prosecutors allege Rozier agreed to accept a $100,000 bribe to remove himself early from that game against the New Orleans Pelicans, citing a phantom injury, so that a group of gamblers could successfully wager on prop bets predicting he would underperform his statistical averages.

In the motion to dismiss the sports bribery and honest services fraud charges, Rozier's legal team cited a text message sent by his friend and codefendant, Deniro Laster, on March 29, 2023. The message, addressed to a third party, stated, "Dont tell chum bout the bet," using Rozier's nickname. The recipient...