Former NBA Player Beasley Pleads Not Guilty to Game-Fixing Charges

(Central News Agency, New York, July 1) - Former NBA star Malik Beasley pleaded not guilty today to charges of allegedly manipulating game performance in 2024 for the benefit of sports bettors and to alleviate his own debts, with his lawyer stating he "hopes to move forward and start a new life."

According to the Associated Press, Beasley is the latest prominent player to be implicated in a large-scale federal investigation into illegal gambling. He spoke little during his appearance at the U.S. Federal Court in Brooklyn, New York, only responding "Yes, Your Honor" to the judge's questions, while his lawyer, Jason Goldman, entered the not-guilty plea on his behalf.

After the hearing, the 29-year-old, 193 cm tall Beasley stood quietly outside the courthouse as his lawyer addressed the media.

Beasley, who played for 6 teams during his 9-year NBA career, missed the most recent season due to the investigation and instead played for a team in Puerto Rico co-owned by famous rapper Bad Bunny.

Beasley and sports agent Paolo Zamorano are among the six defendants named in the indictment unsealed this week, and Zamorano also denied the charges.

The two are the latest defendants in a federal crackdown on illegal gambling. Both have been released on bail, and over 30 people have been arrested so far, including former Miami Heat star Terry Rozier and former Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups.

According to the indictment, while playing for the Milwaukee Bucks in 2024, Beasley allegedly intentionally performed better or worse than oddsmakers' predictions in at least four games to influence the outcome of specific betting markets. In return, bettors allegedly paid Beasley to reduce or even clear his debts.

Prosecutors stated that Beasley borrowed money from former teammates due to millions of dollars in gambling losses and has faced frequent financial problems in recent years, including debt disputes with landlords, barbers, and dentists.

In 2025, a sports marketing company filed a lawsuit against him, and the court ultimately ordered him to pay $1 million in damages. (Compiled by: Hsu Rui-cheng) 0702

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