Federal prosecutors want to put Terry Rozier's childhood friend and alleged co-conspirator, De'Niro Laster, back in jail over claims he has tried to influence witnesses, including through threats.
Laster was first charged in the government's sprawling sports betting case last October. According to the indictment, Rozier informed Laster he would pretend to be hurt and prematurely take himself out of a March 2023 game. Laster then allegedly sold that information to multiple co-conspirators, who bet the under on multiple Rozier lines for about $100,000.
The government claims Laster has been attempting to interfere with the investigation as far back as 2024, more than a year before he was arrested. Laster has allegedly expressed suspicions that someone was cooperating with the government, and his social media accounts have made posts featuring a rat emoji, which the government explained in its filing "generally refers to a person who is perceived as a snitch, informant, or someone who cooperates with law enforcement or provides information about others to the authorities."
Rozier's attorney, David Markus, says that "GMB" stands for "Get More Blessings," the motto of Rozier's nonprofit foundation, 12 Blessings, which "raises money to empower disadvantaged kids." Markus calls the government's attempt to imply that "GMB" is a criminal organization "absurd."
The government has previously expressed concern about a potential conflict of interest in the case because Rozier is paying for the legal fees of Laster, who is represented by a different attorney, Matthew Evan Corcoran.
Laster's attorney did not respond to a request for comment, nor did representatives for the other defendants in the case.
Rozier is set to go to trial on February 8, 2027, for his alleged role in the federal gambling probe. He has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, bribery in sporting contests, and honest services wire fraud conspiracy.
Laster was originally charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, each of which could carry up to 20 years in prison. Two additional charges were brought against Laster in a superseding indictment made public in May.
The government has accused Laster of obstructing justice and tampering with witnesses by attempting to influence their testimony and intimidating them, including through social media posts. The government's letter to the judge says that Laster has been repeatedly attempting to tamper with the judicial process.
A week ago, Rozier's attorneys asked the judge to drop two counts against him, claiming Rozier never agreed to manipulate his performance or knew that gamblers were betting on him. In response, federal prosecutors wrote to the judge asking to deny Rozier's request and said they've "developed evidence from multiple sources that this text chain does not relate to sports gambling."
Source: Yahoo Sports