NBA Gambling Scandal Deepens: Co-Defendant Laster's Bond Revoked

A federal judge in New York has revoked the bond of Deniro Laster, a co-defendant in an ongoing NBA gambling case and a childhood friend of former Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier. The decision was handed down on Tuesday afternoon by Eastern District of New York judge LaShann DeArcy Hall, citing Laster's multiple violations of his bond conditions, which included attempted witness intimidation and unauthorized contact with co-defendants and potential witnesses.

Judge DeArcy Hall stated in her ruling that Laster was unlikely to comply with the stipulations of his bond, a sentiment echoed by United States attorney David Berman, who characterized Laster's actions as "utterly egregious" during his argument before the court. The proceedings were marked by contentious exchanges between Judge DeArcy Hall and defense attorney Matthew Evan Corcoran, particularly regarding the nature of Laster's alleged witness intimidation.

During defense arguments, Corcoran attempted to downplay the significance of Laster's act of posting "rat emojis" on Instagram, referring to them as "rat cartoons." Judge DeArcy Hall swiftly admonished this characterization, stating, "Rat cartoon? Come on. You think this is my first rodeo. Let's not call it a rat cartoon. ... Don't minimize it with a rat cartoon." She further questioned if Corcoran had, by this argument, effectively conceded that Laster posted the emoji. Corcoran later asserted that "sometimes a rat emoji is just a rat emoji," to which the judge retorted, "Is that your argument? If it is, it's a bad one."

Corcoran also argued that bond revocation typically occurs after a rearrest, which had not happened to Laster. Judge DeArcy Hall responded sharply to this point, saying, "Tell me what happens often in these cases. I love being mansplained to." Additionally, the defense attorney claimed that the individual Laster contacted was not on a no-contact list. However, a no-contact order inherently prohibits any contact unless lawyers are present. Following the judge's decision, Laster was remanded to custody and escorted out of the courtroom by United States marshals after removing his tie.

The broader NBA gambling case alleges that Terry Rozier informed Laster he would leave a March 23, 2023 game between his then-team, the Charlotte Hornets, and the New Orleans Pelicans, early due to an injury. Laster then allegedly provided this confidential information to sports bettors, enabling them to place bets on the "under" for Rozier's statistics in that game. This scheme reportedly involved an agreement between Rozier and Laster for a bribe estimated at $70,000 in exchange for the inside information.

Terry Rozier was present at the defendant's table during Tuesday's hearing. Judge DeArcy Hall denied Rozier's request for a change of venue from New York to Florida. Arguments were also heard concerning a potential violation of rules regarding public statements that could jeopardize a fair trial. Rozier's attorney had filed a response to what they described as statements made by prosecutors in their motion to revoke Laster's bond, which allegedly "falsely imply[ed] that [Rozier] was a member of a gang." Both United States attorney Berman and Judge DeArcy Hall clarified in court that there is no belief that Mr. Rozier is a gang member. "If there's any confusion," DeArcy Hall stated, "... There are not allegations that Mr. Rozier is a member of a gang."