Feds: Rozier co-defendant Laster tampered with witnesses
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- Deniro Laster is alleged by federal prosecutors to have "repeatedly and flagrantly violated the conditions of his release" in the NBA gambling case, including by posting rat emojis on Instagram on at least two occasions and contacting co-defendants directly and through intermediaries.
- The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York filed a court document Tuesday asking a judge to revoke Laster's bond and hold him in custody until trial, arguing his reputation as "someone who had a gun collection and who typically carried a gun" combined with the rat-emoji posts suggested intent to intimidate witnesses.
- Terry Rozier allegedly told Laster he planned to leave a March 2023 Charlotte Hornets vs. New Orleans Pelicans game early; prosecutors say Laster then sold that information to sports bettors for fraudulent wagers, with Laster and Rozier allegedly agreeing to a roughly $70,000 bribe in exchange.
- Rozier's defense has cited a text from Laster reading "Dont tell chum bout the bet" — with "Chum" reported to be Rozier's nickname — as evidence the player was unaware of the scheme, while prosecutors counter they have evidence that exchange "does not relate to sports gambling."
- Laster and Rozier each face charges including conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud; both have pleaded not guilty, with a trial scheduled for Feb. 8, 2027, and Rozier's attorneys having asked a judge to dismiss the charges.
Why it matters: Prosecutors' bid to revoke Laster's bond signals they view him as both a flight risk and a witness-tampering threat whose continued freedom could compromise the Feb. 8, 2027 trial, and it raises the stakes for Rozier's defense, which has leaned on pinning the scheme on Laster as a middleman.
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