Former NBA player Malik Beasley has been involved in a gambling case for months now, but his attorney, Steve Haney, said his client is negotiating a plea deal with Department of Justice prosecutors, and a decision is expected in the next few days.
Beasley’s Legal Team to Announce a New Plea Soon
Earlier this year, 29-year-old Beasley and sports agent Paolo Zamorano were among six individuals charged in an indictment unsealed in connection with a gambling scandal that has led to more than three dozen arrests. However, the player now plans to plead guilty, according to his attorney.
According to prosecutors, Beasley intentionally manipulated his statistics in at least four games during the 2023–24 season with the Milwaukee Bucks to help gamblers place and win bets on his performance. The indictment says that his co-defendants chose games that would not be nationally televised, while Beasley determined whether he would exceed or fall short of expectations in scoring and rebounding.
Beasley faces federal charges of 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.
However, late last week, the judge overseeing the case asked a federal magistrate in Brooklyn, New York, to schedule a hearing for Beasley to change his plea. A similar order was filed that day for co-defendant Ernesto Plascencia, whose attorney confirmed Saturday morning that he also intends to plead guilty.
What Was Beasley’s Motive to Get Into the Scheme?
Beasley reportedly earned more than $60 million during his 9-year-long NBA career, but he also lost a lot of that wealth to gambling, accumulating large debts. Here’s where another ex-NBA pro and Beasley’s co-defendant and former teammate, Ed Davis, comes into the picture.
Beasley reportedly borrowed money from his former teammate to pay out the millions of dollars in gambling losses. Davis is also accused of acting as Beasley’s “gatekeeper” in the alleged scheme. In exchange for icing the games he played in, Beasley’s gambling debt to Davis was diminished or eliminated.
The player’s financial troubles have also included reported disputes with a Detroit landlord, a Milwaukee barber and a Minnesota dentist. In 2025, a lawsuit filed by a sports marketing agency against Beasley resulted in a $1 million default judgment. The same year, he was also evicted from his apartment amidst the FBI investigation into his suspicious gambling activity, which eventually led to the current charges.
Leaving behind an otherwise successful career, Beasley averaged 11.7 points per game across 578 appearances with the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah Jazz, and more. He is also one of just five players in NBA history to make more than 300 three-pointers in a single season.