‘Jello against the wall’: Ex-Hornet Rozier’s lawyer disputes possible new charges
The sports gambling legal matter involving ex-Charlotte Hornets star Terry Rozier isn’t losing any steam.
Federal prosecutors on Monday in court said they intend to bring new charges against Rozier and others in relation to their sports gambling case from an October arrest, according to multiple media reports.
In mid-May, prosecutors will submit evidence that will substantiate their claim that Rozier not only conspired to wire fraud and money laundering — but that he also solicited and received a bribe during the alleged gambling scheme, prosecutors said.
Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, told The Charlotte Observer his client did not commit the alleged violations.
“New charges will just confirm they are throwing jello against the wall and hoping something sticks,” Trusty said in an email. “Terry broke no laws and we’ll keep fighting whatever accusations they throw our way.”
The reason why Rozier was in court on Monday was because his legal team was attempting to get his initial charges dismissed. Those initial charges involved suspicious betting while Rozier played for the Hornets: conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The judge did not rule on the motion to dismiss after prosecutors said “superseding charges” were coming in May.
Rozier was one of numerous arrests made on Oct. 23. He was named as part of a scheme in which certain people bet on “inside, non-public information about NBA athletes and teams.” That included information like when players would be sitting out games and when they would pull themselves out for purported injuries or illnesses, The Observer previously reported.
Reports say that prosecutors allege that Rozier told his childhood friend and co-defendant, Deniro Laster, that he’d remove himself early from a March 23 game between the Hornets and the New Orleans Pelicans. That night, “a professional bettor placed 30 wagers in 46 minutes, all involving Terry Rozier,” an ESPN report later reported. Rozier scored five points on 2-of-4 shooting that night, but after just 9:34 of playing time, Rozier left the game citing a foot injury.
The NBA conducted its own investigation on Rozier at the time and did not find a violation of league rules.
The Youngstown, Ohio, native was later traded to the Miami Heat in January 2024. He was cut by the Heat on April 7. Rozier was only with the Heat for one game in 2025 before being arrested at the team’s hotel in Orlando; he was shortly after placed on paid leave by the NBA. He is now an unrestricted free agent.
This story was originally published April 28, 2026 at 2:52 PM.
