Malik Beasley Moves Toward Guilty Plea in Explosive NBA Gambling Case

Former NBA player Malik Beasley appears to be moving toward a guilty plea in a federal sports betting case that accuses him of manipulating his performance on the court to help gamblers make money.

In an October 23 order, Brooklyn federal Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall referred Beasley’s anticipated change of plea to Magistrate Judge Taryn A. Merkl; this marks a potential move in the case after Beasley previously pleaded not guilty this past July.

Credit: Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

One of Beasley’s attorneys, Steve Haney, told the AP they were negotiating an agreement with the federal government “with an expected direction in the coming days.”

The former Milwaukee Bucks guard faces four federal charges: bribery in sporting contests, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit honest-services wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The feds allege Beasley deliberately manipulated his scoring and rebounding during at least four Bucks games in the 2023-24 NBA season, allowing gamblers who knew what to expect to place winning bets. In exchange, prosecutors claim, Beasley received financial benefits, including having some of his own gambling debts reduced or forgiven.

The allegations are part of a larger federal investigation into illegal gambling and alleged corruption involving professional basketball.

The latest docket activity suggests Beasley is not alone in moving toward a plea. On October 23, Hall also referred co-defendant Ernesto Plascencia’s anticipated change of plea to Merkl. Another defendant, Robert Gorodetsky, has a change-of-plea hearing scheduled for November 20 at 2 p.m. in Brooklyn federal court.

Beasley’s referral does not mean he has pleaded guilty. Again, plea negotiations have been underway, but no finalized agreement has been publicly confirmed. It also remains unclear which charges (if any) he intends to admit to or when his hearing will take place.

For now, the court’s order is a big development in a case that has placed the integrity of NBA games under federal watch.

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