Sat Oct 25 03:00:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary of the text and a rewritten version of it as a news article.

Summary:

A federal indictment filed in the Eastern District of New York charges six individuals – Eric Earnest, Marves Fairley, Shane Hennen, Damon Jones, Deniro Laster, and Terry Rozier – with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. The charges stem from a scheme between December 2022 and March 2024 to defraud betting companies by using non-public information about NBA games to place fraudulent sports wagers. The defendants, including current and former NBA players and coaches, allegedly shared inside information on player injuries, game strategies (like tanking), and planned exits from games. This information was then used to place bets on player performance (prop bets) and game outcomes, circumventing betting company rules and profiting from the scheme. The indictment details specific instances of fraudulent wagering, involving bets on games by the Charlotte Hornets, Portland Trail Blazers, Orlando Magic, and Los Angeles Lakers. The defendants allegedly laundered the proceeds of their scheme through cash exchanges, peer-to-peer payments, and other transactions. The government is seeking forfeiture of assets obtained through the alleged crimes.

News Article:

Six Indicted in NBA Betting Scandal Involving Insider Information

BROOKLYN, NY (October 16, 2025) – A federal grand jury has indicted six individuals, including current and former NBA players and coaches, on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering in connection with an alleged sports betting scheme. The indictment, filed in the Eastern District of New York, accuses the defendants of using non-public information to place fraudulent wagers on NBA games, defrauding betting companies out of substantial sums.

Named in the indictment are:

  • Eric Earnest, also known as “Spook,” a resident of Missouri.
  • Marves Fairley, also known as “Vez,” “Vezino,” and “Vezino Locks,” a resident of Mississippi who promoted himself as a successful sports bettor.
  • Shane Hennen, also known as “Sugar,” a resident of Pennsylvania and Nevada, also promoted himself as a successful sports bettor.
  • Damon Jones, also known as “D Jones” and “Dee Jones,” a resident of Texas, a former NBA player and coach.
  • Deniro Laster, also known as “Niro,” “Payso,” and “Peso,” a resident of Ohio.
  • Terry Rozier, also known as “Scary Terry” and “Chum,” a resident of Ohio, North Carolina, and Florida, and a current NBA player with the Charlotte Hornets (at the time of alleged offences).

According to the indictment, the scheme ran from December 2022 to March 2024. The defendants allegedly shared inside information about NBA games, including player injuries, planned absences, and team strategies (such as “tanking,” intentionally losing to improve draft odds). This information was then disseminated to a network of co-conspirators, who placed bets on player performance statistics (prop bets) and game outcomes.

The indictment details several instances of alleged fraudulent wagering, including:

  • A March 23, 2023 Charlotte Hornets game: Terry Rozier allegedly informed Deniro Laster that he would remove himself from the game early due to a fake injury. Laster shared this information with others, who placed bets on Rozier’s underperformance.
  • A March 24, 2023 Portland Trail Blazers game: A co-conspirator allegedly told Eric Earnest that the Trail Blazers would be “tanking” and sitting key players. Earnest shared this information with Marves Fairley, who placed bets against the Trail Blazers.
  • An April 6, 2023 Orlando Magic game: Marves Fairley and a co-conspirator allegedly obtained information from a Magic player that the team would not be playing its regular starting lineup and then placed bets against the Magic.
  • Los Angeles Lakers Games: Damon Jones allegedly sold information about Player 3 and Player 4 (identities known to the Grand Jury) and their health status to fellow defendants Earnest and Fairley.

The defendants are also accused of laundering the proceeds of their scheme through cash exchanges and peer-to-peer payment platforms.

“The integrity of sports is paramount, and this indictment demonstrates our commitment to prosecuting those who seek to undermine it,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney David Pitluck.

The defendants face potential prison sentences and financial penalties if convicted. The government is also seeking forfeiture of assets obtained through the alleged crimes.

The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, with investigations ongoing.

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