Malik Beasley to plead guilty in betting case

Former NBA player Malik Beasley has been at the center of a betting case that has run for months. His lawyer, Steve Haney, said his client has been negotiating a plea deal with Justice Department prosecutors and that a decision is expected to be announced within the next few days.

Earlier this year, Beasley was charged along with sports agent Paolo Zamorano in a betting scandal that led to more than 100 arrests. Prosecutors say the player deliberately manipulated his statistics in at least four games he played for the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2023-24 season. The bettors were meant to profit from those games.

According to the indictment, co-defendants selected games that were not broadcast nationally, while Beasley decided whether he would exceed the points and rebounds expected of him. Beasley was charged with sports bribery, wire fraud and money laundering. He initially denied all charges.

Last week, a judge asked for a hearing in Brooklyn so Beasley could change his plea. The lawyer for co-defendant Ernesto Plascencia also confirmed that his client will plead guilty.

During a nine-year NBA career in which he earned about 60 million dollars, Beasley lost most of that fortune to betting and fell into serious debt. Prosecutors allege that he borrowed money from former teammate Ed Davis, and that Davis was the person directing the player's games as part of the scheme.