Former NBA Player Malik Beasley Negotiating Plea Deal in Federal Gambling Case

Former NBA player Malik Beasley is reportedly working towards a plea agreement with federal prosecutors in connection with an alleged gambling scheme involving the manipulation of his performances during NBA games.

According to ESPN, Beasley's attorney, Steve Haney, confirmed Saturday (October 24) that the 29-year-old is negotiating a potential deal with the Department of Justice. However, Haney emphasized that his client has not officially agreed to plead guilty. The attorney said discussions are ongoing and that a decision could come early next week.

The update follows a notice on the federal court docket indicating that Beasley intends to change his plea. On Friday (October 23), the judge overseeing the case requested that a federal magistrate in Brooklyn schedule a hearing for the former Milwaukee Bucks guard.

Beasley was previously charged with bribery in sporting contests, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He initially pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Federal prosecutors allege that Beasley deliberately altered his on-court performances in at least four games during the 2023-24 NBA season while playing for the Milwaukee Bucks.

According to the indictment, Beasley worked with gamblers who selected games that were not scheduled for national television broadcasts. Prosecutors claim he would then determine whether to exceed or fall short of certain scoring and rebounding totals, allowing bettors to profit from wagers tied to his statistics.

Investigators also allege that Beasley had accumulated "multimillion-dollar gambling losses" despite earning tens of millions of dollars throughout his NBA career. Beasley, who played for six teams over nine seasons, is among several individuals charged in the federal investigation.

Another defendant, Ernesto Plascencia, is also expected to plead guilty after his attorney confirmed the decision Saturday. Meanwhile, William Brown entered a guilty plea earlier this month, and fellow bettor Robert Gorodetsky is scheduled to formally change his plea on November 20.

Former NBA player Ed Davis and his former agent, Paolo Zamorano, have also been charged in connection with the alleged operation. Both have pleaded not guilty.