Former Pistons guard Malik Beasley has been indicted on federal charges for gambling related to a sports betting scheme, such as point shaving and prop bets, according to a news release from prosecutors in New York.
In a filing Monday, June 29, Beasley and five other men are accused of working together to affect the outcome of NBA games and make money off of related bets.
“As alleged, the defendants turned professional basketball into a criminal betting operation, bribing then-NBA player Malik Beasley to fix his performance in multiple games in order to place fraudulent wagers, enrich themselves and cheat legitimate sportsbooks,” said Joseph Nocella Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
“Bribery and insider betting schemes like this one involving former NBA players and a current NBA player agent who exploited inside NBA information for profit erode the integrity of American sports and victimize the sports-watching public.”
Beasley is specifically charged with wire fraud conspiracy, bribery in sporting contests, honest services wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy, according to the news release.
ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the news. The government is reportedly coordinating a voluntary surrender of Beasley this week, Charania reported, citing Beasley’s lawyer, Steve Haney.
Haney told the Free Press that Beasley and his team “look forward to defending all charges.”
Beasley has been under NBA investigation related to prop bets placed during the 2023-24 season, and he was also originally a “subject” of an FBI investigation, which led to the arrests of former Pistons great Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier in October 2025.
Federal prosecutors say Beasley specifically worked with Edward Davis − another former NBA player − to either do better or worse than expected while Beasley played for the Bucks. Davis and others would place bets using this information. In return, they’d allegedly bribe Beasley; federal prosecutors said typically in the form of reducing or eliminating gambling debts Beasley owed Davis.
Federal prosecutors pointed to three specific games in early 2024 where Beasley made promises to influence bets. In a January game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, he allegedly promised to intentionally get fewer rebounds than gamblers anticipated. In a February game against the Charlotte Hornets, he allegedly promised to score more points than expected but get fewer rebounds. And in a March game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Beasley allegedly promised to get more rebounds than expected.
Federal prosecutors say Davis and others used this information to place bets, and, “Many of the fraudulent wagers were successful.”
Beasley, now 29, averaged 16.3 points per game in 2024-25. He became one of five players in league history to make 300 3-pointers in a season and finished second in Sixth Man of the Year voting. The Pistons were reportedly gearing up to offer a three-year, $42 million contract to Beasley, who initially signed with the team on July 6, 2024, on a one-year, $6 million deal.
The original game in question reportedly occurred during the 2023-24 season when he played for the Milwaukee Bucks, according to ESPN. The odds of Beasley grabbing fewer than 2.5 rebounds shortened from around +120 to about -250 because of a surge of action on the under ahead of the Jan. 31 game against the Trail Blazers, the report said. Beasley finished with six rebounds.
Free Press reporter Omari Sankofa contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Former Pistons G Malik Beasley indicted on federal gambling charges
Reporting by Dave Boucher, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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By Dave Boucher, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
