The Justice Department of the United States charged Malik Beasley and Ed Davis in an investigation involving betting on the performance of basketball players, which has already implicated other figures in the league
A new chapter in the sports betting scandal has hit theNBA. The U.S. Justice has formally charged former players Malik Beasley and Edward Davis, the latter better known simply as Ed Davis, for their alleged involvement in a fraud and betting manipulation scheme linked to player performance during league games.
The indictment was presented by the Brooklyn Federal Prosecutor's Office, which claims that Beasley agreed to alter aspects of his performance while playing for the Milwaukee Bucks in 2024 in order to favor bets on individual statistics, known as "prop bets". According to investigators, the scheme moved hundreds of thousands of dollars and at this stage of the case, six individuals have been charged.
Beasley intentionally lowered his personal statistics to favor bets
Federal prosecutor Joseph Nocella Jr. was emphatic regarding the investigation. He stated that Beasley and the other defendants "turned professional basketball into a criminal betting operation" and warned that such maneuvers "undermine the integrity of American sports and harm the public that follows sports".
According to the indictment, Ed Davis was also involved in the operation by placing bets related to Beasley's performance. The former forward played his last NBA game in 2022 while with the Cleveland Cavaliers, while Beasley was left without a team after the 2024-25 season, amid the ongoing investigation. The guard, who averaged 16 points with the Detroit Pistons that year, has not played in the league since and only had a brief stint with a team in Puerto Rico.
Ed Davies was part of the betting fix movement
The case is part of a much broader investigation into illegal betting that has already led to more than 30 arrests. In April, former guard Damon Jones pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud after admitting to using insider information obtained through his connections with the NBA to gain advantages in sports betting and defraud platforms like DraftKings and FanDuel.
The file also involves other prominent figures in American basketball. Chauncey Billups, a Hall of Fame member and current coach, faces charges for his alleged involvement in a conspiracy to manipulate high-stakes card gameslinked to families of La Cosa Nostra. Meanwhile, Terry Rozier was accused of collaborating with associates to favor bets on his performance in a game played in 2023. Both Billups and Rozier pleadednot guilty.
With these new charges, the investigation solidifies as one of the largest betting scandals in the recent history of the American league and once again brings to the forefront the debate over control mechanisms to preserve the transparency of professional competitions.
