Indictment Unveils Scheme to Manipulate NBA Game Stats
Federal prosecutors in New York have charged former NBA forward Malik Beasley and ex‑center Ed Davis, along with an NBA agent and three additional defendants, with conspiring to rig basketball outcomes for profit.
According to the indictment, Beasley squandered millions of dollars during a nine‑year career that spanned six franchises between 2016 and 2019, a financial pattern that investigators say made him vulnerable to bribery.
The complaint alleges that Beasley entered into an agreement to underperform in at least three games of the 2023‑24 season while playing for the Milwaukee Bucks, deliberately limiting his rebounding totals to meet the expectations of bettors.
In a December 2023 text exchange, Davis urged Beasley to exploit sports‑betting markets, writing, “Only way you can beat Vegas is sports betting… We can make some good money.” Prosecutors say the pair subsequently placed fraudulent wagers totaling tens of thousands of dollars on Beasley’s “under rebounds” props.
The scheme reportedly hinged on a prop bet that required Beasley to finish with fewer than 3.5 rebounds in a January 26, 2024, matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers; he ended the game with exactly three boards, satisfying the condition for the illicit wagers.
Although the NBA had not issued a public statement as of midday Monday, the indictment underscores the growing intersection of professional sports and illegal gambling networks, raising questions about oversight and the league’s response.
Beasley, a first‑round pick of the Denver Nuggets in 2016, earned nearly $60 million in salary over his career, while Davis, a 2010 first‑round selection by the Toronto Raptors, amassed close to $47 million before retiring in 2019.