Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier has been at the center of scrutiny in recent gambling-related arrests of multiple former and current NBA players by the FBI. As reports reveal further details, his attorney has come forward to push back against the allegations that the veteran guard played any role in the sports-betting conspiracy.

Rozier’s lawyer, Jim Trusty, addressed Fox News, insisting that his client is being unfairly targeted. “This is an innocent guy who’s getting completely screwed, to use some legal vernacular, in terms of his career,” Trusty said. “It’s an 11-year vet. He’s played 1,000 games. They’re latching onto a game where the NBA literally cleared him two years ago and trying to suggest that somehow they know better and that they know he was a conspirator, as opposed to just somebody who had a hurt foot.”

He also added that the prosecution hadn’t provided him with any evidence that the federal investigation found against Rozier. According to the federal indictment against Rozier, the then-Hornets guard provided information about plans to leave a March 2023 game early due to a injury.

According to prosecutors, Rozier shared the information with a friend, Deniro Laster, who, in turn, sold the information to bettors for approximately $100,000. Rozier is said to have covered Laster’s trip to Philadelphia to retrieve their funds and met with him to tally the earnings at Rozier’s property.

Both individuals face charges for conspiring to engage in money laundering and conspiring to commit wire fraud as part of a larger investigation that involves more than 30 other people.

While the allegations have reignited the questions around gambling in the NBA, the league itself has also looked into the Hornets game from 2023. At the time, despite suspicious activity, the NBA didn’t find sufficient evidence to conclude that Rozier had violated league guidelines.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, senior NBA reporter, speaking on The Rich Eisen Show, stated that sportsbooks had flagged unusually large bets on Terry Rozier “unders” for a March 23, 2023, game when he played for the Hornets.

He said the league was made aware of the activity and asserted that Rozier “faked” a foot injury and that the NBA “pulled him” (quietly removed him) from games without public explanation.

Shortly after, Windhorst clarified, or walked back to put it politely, parts of his claim: he emphasized that he did not intend to imply a full-blown conspiracy by the league. To top it off, the NBA responded, denying that it quietly suspended Rozier and stating the injury was real and confirmed by team doctors via MRI.

Commissioner Adam Silver also noted that the guard had fully complied with the investigation and was cleared internally. Following the recent indictment, he has been placed on leave while they wait for the outcome of the federal case.

Trusty released a statement after Rozier’s arrest, stating that his client is “a subject, not a target.” He also said that the FBI officials, “appear to be taking the word of spectacularly in-credible sources rather than relying on actual evidence of wrongdoing.” He concluded the statement simply: “Terry is not a gambler, but he is not afraid of a fight, and he looks forward to winning this fight.”

Terry Rozier’s Financial Trouble Surfaces Amid Federal Case

While the case against Terry Rozier continues, it has been revealed that the IRS filed an $8 million federal tax lien against Rozier in Broward County, Florida, in November 2023, the same year of the alleged betting incident.

GMB Chronicles LLC, a California business that was established in 2024 and is registered in Rozier’s name and owns the trademark for his “Scary Terry” moniker, is linked to the lien on unpaid income taxes.

According to Florida tax attorney Steven N. Klitzner, while talking to ESPN, such liens are issued after multiple past-due notices, and he also added, “It shouldn’t be a surprise to them.” Records from the county also show that no lien release was issued, meaning the debt remains unresolved.

The address listed on the lien matches that of Heat guard’s property in Florida, valued at around $5.3 million. The property also had a construction lien of $271,000 filed in 2022, $25,000 of which was paid by July 2023.

Now, Rozier’s team will look to eradicate all charges, like they did during the NBA’s investigation.