Malik Beasley and retired NBA forward Ed Davis are facing multiple federal gambling charges after federal authorities linked them to an alleged point-shaving and prop betting manipulation scheme.
Beasley, Davis, and four other co-defendants are accused of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, bribery in sporting contests, conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, according to a Justice Department press release.
Among the evidence obtained was the text messages exchanged between Beasley and Davis. The two NBA players were formerly teammates for the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2020-21.
According to the indictment, Beasley agreed to fix prop bets with Davis in 2023-24, when the former played for the Milwaukee Bucks . In their alleged arrangement, Beasley would inform Davis whether he expected to go over or under in some of those props.
Davis, in turn, would then allegedly pass on the insider information to the other co-conspirators, identified in the indictment as William Brown, Robert Gorodetsky, Ernesto Plascencia and current NBA player agent Paolo Zamorano.
The messages between the two accused NBA players purportedly occurred during the operation's infancy. It appeared that Davis was recruiting Beasley, redirecting him to a popular visual messaging and social media app.
"You got Snapchat?" Davis asked Beasley.
"Not really why," Beasley replied.
After Malik inquired whether they could talk here, which likely meant the SMS service, Davis then texted: "Better to talk on there. We can make some good money."
As the press release showed, there were at least three alleged instances in which Beasley provided non-public information to Davis and others to influence the games. First is the January 26, 2024, game between the Bucks and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Beasley intended to go under his rebounding prop in that contest, and he did.
Second is the February 27, 2024, game against the Charlotte Hornets . This time around, Beasley was supposedly going under in his points and going over in rebounds. He finished with six points and four rebounds in the Bucks' blowout victory.
Finally, the March 10, 2024, game against the Los Angeles Clippers . Beasley allegedly indicated he intended to go over on his rebounds. He grabbed four boards in that contest, leading to another major payday for the co-conspirators.
"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. The FBI continues to dismantle fraudulent schemes that erode the integrity of any institution, including our nation's professional sports leagues," FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Barnacle stated.
The indictment against Beasley and Davis expands a growing list of NBA figures entangled in federal gambling investigations.
Two years earlier, the NBA banned Jontay Porter after finding the former Toronto Raptors big man guilty of similar offenses. Meanwhile, Terry Rozier denied four charges that allegedly tied him to a sports betting operation. Chauncey Billups and Damon Jones were arrested for alleged involvement in an illegal poker ring .
The Beasley and Davis indictment is another reminder that the NBA's gambling concerns are no longer confined to isolated incidents. As more evidence comes to light, the scope of the investigation appears far greater than it seemed.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jun 29, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
