Former NBA players Malik Beasley and Ed Davis were charged in a federal indictment unsealed Monday in connection with an alleged scheme to manipulate NBA game performances for illegal sports wagers.
Beasley and Davis were among six people named in the new charges, which grew out of a broader federal sports gambling investigation that has already produced dozens of arrests involving current and former NBA figures as well as members of organized crime.
According to NBC News, Federal prosecutors alleged that Beasley, while playing for the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2023-24 season, conspired with Davis to alter his individual statistics in several games. In return, prosecutors said, Beasley received bribes that were applied to gambling debts he owed Davis. According to the indictment, Davis had loaned money to Beasley after the player accumulated millions of dollars in gambling losses, despite earning tens of millions during his nine-year NBA career.
Malik Beasley wasn’t even trying to hide it. Yeah he’s cooked 😭 https://t.co/iQzvaSnyFp pic.twitter.com/aJxXoqkU9g
— Hater Report (@HaterReport) June 30, 2026
U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said in a statement: “Bribery and insider betting schemes like this one involving former NBA players … who exploited inside NBA information for profit erode the integrity of American sports and victimize the sports-watching public.”
The defendants face charges including wire fraud conspiracy, bribery in sporting contests, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy. As of Monday, Beasley remained out of custody. Davis was arrested and was scheduled to be arraigned in Brooklyn.
According to prosecutors, the betting operation placed illegal wagers totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars, including specific bets of $75,000 that produced winnings of at least $121,000. Davis, who last played in the NBA in 2022, was among those accused of wagering on Beasley’s individual performance statistics.
In a 2023 text message sent to Beasley about a month before the first alleged fixed game, Davis wrote: “Only way you can beat Vegas is sports betting,” followed by “We can make some good money.”
Alleged text messages between the defendants included in today's federal indictment involving Malik Beasley and Ed Davis: pic.twitter.com/66lD4GGkyx
— David Payne Purdum (@DavidPurdum) June 29, 2026
Prosecutors identified at least four games in which Beasley allegedly agreed to adjust his play to benefit the betting group. On January 6, 2024, against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Beasley was allegedly directed to finish with fewer than 3.5 rebounds. He ended the game with one. On February 27, against the Charlotte Hornets, the alleged plan called for Beasley to score under 12.5 points while grabbing more than 3.5 rebounds. He finished with six points and four rebounds.
On March 10, against the Los Angeles Clippers, Beasley was allegedly instructed to grab more than 3.5 rebounds. He secured his fourth rebound with one second remaining. On March 21, against the Brooklyn Nets, prosecutors said Beasley was supposed to fall short on rebounds but instead grabbed six, above his season average of 3.7.
The indictment also identified Damon Jones, a former NBA player who pleaded guilty in April to related conspiracy charges, as a co-conspirator. Prosecutors said Jones’ sentencing is expected to take his alleged role in the matter into account.
The charges follow a series of federal cases targeting alleged corruption tied to professional basketball and sports betting. Last year, authorities charged nearly three dozen people, including current and former NBA players and a head coach, in two large-scale operations. Those cases included allegations of rigged high-stakes poker games with alleged Mafia backing and the use of non-public NBA information to place bets on league games.
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