Charlotte Hornets guard Terry Rozier is jumping into a very different world with foot in mouth after being arrested on gambling-related charges. Today, that same player is suiting up for the Miami Heat. Now, specifics regarding his reported financial obligations and legal troubles have come to light, leading to discussions about what’s next for Johnson’s NFL career.
Rozier has a homestead exemption on a home he owns in Broward County. Or that he’s paid his property taxes every year in full. In 2021, Rozier was a member of the Charlotte Hornets. The main reason is that he had an unprecedented 5,000+ tax claims that year. The real tax liability, per Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, was way less than the alleged $8 million.
Of his all federal taxes owed in 2021 (($8m) he really paid $9000. That was paid but the now-defunct paid lien still needs to be pulled out of the local courthouse, Trusty explained. Trusty went on to underscore that “there wasn’t an $8 million debt.”
Despite the claims surrounding his tax situation, federal officials have focused on allegations that Rozier conspired with associates to help them win bets based on his statistical performance during a game against the Hornets on March 23, 2023. This was more than seven months before they even crafted the lien that encumbered his property with respect to his taxes. It was almost eight months before they officially introduced it.
Deep down, they know that in that specific game, Rozier was a non-factor. Gamblers who placed wagers on him ending “under” specific milestone statistical totals profited their pockets. The ramifications of this match have come under heavy investigation. Rozier is currently under indictment in two different jurisdictions related to gambling-related charges which further raises the stakes.
Rozier’s charges are similar to the ones that former Toronto Hoops player Jontay Porter was arrested on. Porter was subsequently banned from the league for repeated violations of the same rules. As this case goes, so too goes Rozier’s career arc and the ripple effects of his legal woes.
Overall, Rozier’s salary this season is about $26.6 million, which is prorated and paid out in chunks. His bottom line could certainly be affected by these mounting legal troubles, particularly with the feds in on the action.
As this story is still unfolding, Rozier’s legal team will certainly be answering these serious allegations in the weeks ahead. As he makes the switch from the Hornets to the Heat, with so many challenges, it’s very much up in the air whether he can just focus on basketball.
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