A federal grand jury in Brooklyn unsealed an indictment on Monday charging six men, including former NBA players Malik Beasley and Ed Davis, with wire fraud conspiracy, sports bribery, and money laundering. Prosecutors allege that during the 2023-24 season, while Beasley was with the Milwaukee Bucks, he agreed to fix his own performance in at least three regular-season games, providing inside information that allowed co-conspirators to place fraudulent prop bets worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Davis, described in court papers as Beasley’s “gatekeeper,” is accused of relaying the instructions to gamblers and placing bets himself.

The indictment details specific contests. On 26 January 2024 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Beasley allegedly told Davis he would underperform on rebounds; he finished with three, one below the betting line. Ahead of a 27 February game against the Charlotte Hornets, prosecutors say he agreed to score below his average while exceeding his usual rebounding numbers. A third manipulated fixture, on 10 March versus the Los Angeles Clippers, again centred on inflated rebounding. The charging document states that Beasley’s motive was to reduce or repay gambling debts owed to Davis, with bribes structured as debt forgiveness rather than direct cash payments.

The case is the latest in an expansive FBI investigation that has now charged 34 individuals. Former NBA guard Terry Rozier faces separate accusations of accepting a $100,000 bribe to leave a game early, while ex-player Damon Jones pleaded guilty in April to wire fraud conspiracy. Arabic-language coverage from the Middle East highlighted the potential sentences: up to 20 years for wire fraud and money laundering, and five years for sports bribery. Israeli media noted that Beasley’s indictment brings to five the number of current or former NBA players charged in the probe, framing it as a widening integrity challenge for the league.

Beasley, a 29-year-old shooting guard who averaged 16.3 points for the Detroit Pistons in 2024-25, has not appeared in the NBA since his name surfaced in the investigation. The Pistons rescinded a three-year, $42 million contract offer last offseason after being notified of the federal inquiry. His attorney, Steve Haney, said Beasley maintains his innocence and will surrender voluntarily this week. Davis, who retired in 2022 after 12 seasons and eight franchises, has not publicly addressed the charges. The defendants are expected to be arraigned in Brooklyn in the coming days, with the legal process set to determine the next concrete sporting consequence for those involved.