Malik Beasley, Ed Davis indictments bring FBI's NBA probe back into spotlight

Per the Associated Press' Ed White, U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said Beasley and others "turned professional basketball into a criminal betting operation." 

He added that the schemes "erode the integrity of American sports and victimize the sports-watching public."

Beasley's attorney, Steve Haney, denied the charges. Davis' lawyer, John Adam, hasn't yet responded. 

"We'll review the indictment and vigorously defend the charges and maintain Malik's innocence," Haney said, via The Athletic's Mike Vorkunov. 

How do Malik Beasley-Ed Davis allegations tie to the larger gambling scandal?

Five former or active NBA players have now been arrested following the indictments of Beasley and Davis. In total, 34 people have been apprehended, including mobsters. 

Two of the central figures in this investigation are ex-Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and former Charlotte Hornets guard Terry Rozier. 

Billups allegedly participated in fixes of high-stakes card games with connections to the La Cosa Nostra organized crime families, which cheated gamblers out of at least $7M. He has pleaded not guilty.

Rozier allegedly collaborated with friends to win prop bets on a March 2023 game while playing for the Hornets. He has also pleaded not guilty. 

Unlike Billups and Rozier, former Cavaliers guard/assistant coach Damon Jones pleaded guilty to his charges. Reading a prepared statement to a court in New York in April, he admitted he used "inside information" to defraud sports betting companies and acted as a "face card" at rigged poker games. 

The NBA was hoping the storyline would remain quiet. Now, it's generating headlines again, further highlighting that gambling scandals remain a growing problem in sports.