For nearly two years, a widening federal gambling investigation has cast a shadow over the NBA. On Monday, it reached one of its biggest stages yet as veteran guard Malik Beasley was indicted on charges that he participated in a major sports betting scheme worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Prosecutors allege Beasley accepted bribes to manipulate his statistical performance in selected games during the 2023-24 season, allowing an alleged betting network to profit from insider information and predetermined player prop wagers.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported: “Nine-year NBA veteran Malik Beasley has been indicted on federal charges for gambling related to a sports betting scheme, such as point shaving and prop bets, his attorney Steve Haney tells ESPN. The government is coordinating a voluntary surrender of Beasley this week.”

The indictment, unsealed Monday in the Eastern District of New York, also charges former NBA player Ed Davis, Davis’ longtime agent Paolo Zamorano, William Brown, Robert Gorodetsky, and Ernesto Plascencia.

Unlike typical point-shaving schemes, prosecutors allege the operation focused on individual player prop bets because a single player could allegedly influence those outcomes without necessarily changing the game’s outcome.

Prosecutors charged Beasley with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, bribery in sporting contests, and money laundering conspiracy. If convicted, the combined charges carry decades of federal prison exposure, although any sentence would ultimately be determined by the court.

U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said, “As alleged, the defendants turned professional basketball into a criminal betting operation, bribing then-NBA player Malik Beasley to fix his performance in multiple games in order to place fraudulent wagers, enrich themselves and cheat legitimate sportsbooks.”

FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr. added: “These defendants allegedly operated an illegal betting ring in an attempt to unlawfully earn hundreds of thousands of dollars. As alleged, Malik Beasley allowed himself to be bought and altered his gametime performance to line pockets of Ed Davis and his other co-conspirators.”

According to prosecutors, Davis allegedly acted as the operation’s intermediary, distributing Beasley’s planned statistical performances to fellow defendants before wagers were placed across multiple licensed sportsbooks. Authorities arrested Davis, Brown, Gorodetsky, and Plascencia on Monday, while Beasley and Zamorano are coordinating voluntary surrenders.

How prosecutors say the alleged scheme operated

According to the 22-page federal indictment, prosecutors allege the scheme began in late 2023 after Beasley accumulated millions in gambling debt. Court documents allege Davis extended personal loans to help cover Beasley’s gambling debts before using that financial leverage to arrange predetermined statistical performances tied to player prop bets.

Prosecutors identified three games they say were manipulated during Milwaukee’s 2023-24 season. Court documents allege Davis first texted Beasley in December 2023, writing, “Only way you can beat Vegas is sports betting… We can make some good money.”

The indictment claims Beasley later agreed to intentionally overperform or underperform in selected statistical categories before games against Cleveland, Charlotte, and the Clippers while members of the alleged betting ring placed wagers based on that information.

Prosecutors also note that unusual betting activity surrounding another Bucks game against Portland on Jan. 31, 2024, helped draw attention from sportsbook integrity monitors. Although the suspicious wagers ultimately lost, investigators say the activity became part of the broader inquiry that eventually led to Monday’s indictment.

The indictment comes after a turbulent year for Beasley. After a career-best season with Detroit, where he averaged 16.3 points and knocked down a franchise-record 319 three-pointers, second-most in the NBA, Beasley was reportedly close to signing a three-year, $42 million contract with the Pistons. However, negotiations stalled once the federal investigation became public. His attorney later described the extended uncertainty as “investigative purgatory.” Beasley remains presumed innocent, and his legal team has stated it plans to contest the charges while coordinating his voluntary surrender to federal authorities.