The federal case against Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier took a sharp turn Wednesday. Prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York filed a motion alleging that Deniro Laster, a co-defendant and childhood friend of Rozier’s, has repeatedly attempted to tamper with witnesses since his release, according to ESPN. The government is asking a judge to revoke Laster’s bond and detain him until trial.
What the filing alleges
According to court documents, Instagram accounts linked to Laster posted rat emojis on at least two occasions. Prosecutors argue the emoji – combined with Laster’s reputation, described in the filing as someone who “had a gun collection and who typically carried a gun” – constituted an attempt to intimidate potential witnesses. The motion calls the conduct “repeated and flagrant violations” of his conditions of release.
Federal judges take witness intimidation claims seriously. The motion has a real chance of succeeding.
Where the Rozier case stands
Rozier has pleaded not guilty to charges that he accepted bribes to alter his on-court performance to influence prop bet outcomes. The case centers on a March 2023 game between the Charlotte Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans. Prosecutors allege Rozier told Laster he planned to leave the game early, and Laster then sold that information to fellow bettors.
Rozier’s attorney David Markus has argued that a text message from Laster – telling a recipient specifically not to inform Rozier about the bet – supports the player’s defense. The argument: Rozier was being kept out of the loop, not running the scheme.
The new allegations target Laster directly, not Rozier. His legal status is unchanged for now. But the NBA and the Heat front office are watching closely as training camp approaches. Any escalation could affect Rozier’s availability heading into the 2026-27 season. No trial date has been set.
