Terry Rozier, protagonist of a historic single-player trade. Today, he finds himself in real legal trouble over claims of point shaving during an NBA game. Rozier is the subject of an $8 million dollar tax lien filed by the IRS. That’s according to the detailed county clerk records—records often not made public by state election offices—that ESPN was able to obtain.
Rozier, who is charged with co-defendant Deniro Laster, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. Those charges allege that Rozier illegally leaked nonpublic, confidential information to Laster. This last piece of info included his playing understudy to the king, leaving a March ’23 game early due to a foot injury. In total, Laster reportedly sold this insider information to bettors for around $100,000.
In that match-up, the short-handed Rozier only saw nine-plus minutes of action. His sudden departure made many question the timing of his departure. This incident was a catalyst for intense criticism, both public and within other law enforcement agencies.
The IRS has already responded by filing an $8 million tax lien against Rozier. The lien leads to GMB Chronicles, a small construction firm that was founded and incorporated in California in 2024. Rozier is listed as an exec of this company, which owns the trademark rights to his nickname, “Scary Terry.” The existence of this lien complicates Rozier’s financial situation even further.
Even before these recent events, Rozier was already in dire financial straits. In August 2022, that same contractor filed a construction lien against him for nearly $271,000. This lien was for construction work performed on his luxurious $5.3 million abode. By July 2023, Rozier had repaid $250,000 of that lien.
Rozier first inked the long-term deal with the Charlotte Hornets on Aug. 24, 2021, inking a four-year, $96.3 million deal. Throughout his career, he’s made $161.7 million in on-court earnings alone. All of these athletic achievements are at risk of being overshadowed by financial woes.
FBI Director Kash Patel underscored the gravity of these allegations against Rozier and Laster. He famously declared, “The fraud is staggering.” Steven N. Klitzner agreed, noting that, “it should not be a shock to them.” He focused on the civil liability for their supposed activities.
Jim Trusty, speaking on behalf of Rozier, expressed optimism about his client’s chances, proclaiming that Rozier “looks forward to winning this fight.”
As the legal process unfolds, many are left wondering how these allegations will impact Rozier’s career and reputation within the NBA. What happens next is anybody’s guess as he faces the prospect of mounting a defense to these very serious charges and facing major fiscal concerns.
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