Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley finds himself in a bit of trouble as he is under federal investigation in connection with allegations that he was tied to gambling activity on NBA games and prop bets.
The allegations date to the 2023-24 season when Beasley was with the Milwaukee Bucks, one of six teams he has played for since the Denver Nuggets selected him No. 19 overall in the 2016 NBA Draft.
Beasley reportedly had “financial issues” and was struggling to pay back a $650,000 advance this year, according to ESPN’s David Purdum.
The NBA is aware of the allegations. “We are cooperating with the federal prosecutors’ investigation,” NBA spokesman Mike Bass told ESPN.
“An investigation is not a charge,” Beasley’s attorney, Steve Haney, told ESPN. “Malik is afforded the same right of the presumption of innocence as anyone else under the U.S. Constitution. As of now he has not been charged with anything.”
Beginning around January 2024, one U.S. sportsbook saw an sharp upturn in betting on Beasley’s statistics, such as rebounds per game, according to ESPN. The report adds that due to the allegations, talks over a new three-year, $42 million contract have stopped.
Previously, the NBA suspended Beasley for 12 games in 2021 after he entered a guilty plea to a felony charge of threats of violence. He was sentenced to 120 days in jail to be served after the 2020-21 season and was released after 78 days.
–Field Level Media