Former Boston Celtics guard Terry Rozier, a familiar name to fans from the “Scary Terry” playoff run in 2018, has cleared a major financial hurdle just days before he is scheduled to appear in federal court on sports betting–related charges, according to court filings reviewed by The Athletic.
Rozier, now with the Miami Heat, formally resolved an $8.2 million IRS lien placed on him in 2023. The timing of the lien release arrives as Rozier prepares for his first federal court appearance in New York next week — part of a sweeping investigation that has already sent shockwaves across the NBA.
Rozier’s IRS Lien Lifted After Filing Error, Lawyer Says
The IRS filed a certificate of release on Oct. 29, 2025, stating Rozier had “satisfied” the $8,218,211.70 tax lien originally issued in November 2023. The release was recorded with the Broward County clerk on Nov. 20, according to The Athletic.
Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, said the lien stemmed not from unpaid tax obligations but from a filing mishap that wildly inflated his owed amount.
“Several years ago, a flawed e-filing attempt led to the IRS issuing a lien for Terry’s full tax liability for 2021, roughly $8 million,” Trusty told The Athletic in October. “Once the accountant clarified the situation with the IRS, Terry was found to owe only $3,000. That amount has been taken care of.”
For Celtics fans who remember Rozier as a key piece of Boston’s youth movement before the arrival of Kyrie Irving, the lien resolution removes one cloud over the veteran guard — but a much larger one remains.
Rozier to Be Arraigned in Federal Court Over Betting Allegations
Rozier is set to be arraigned next Monday in Brooklyn federal court as part of one of the most expansive sports betting investigations in NBA history — a case that has already led to 34 arrests, including those of Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and former Celtic Damon Jones.
According to unsealed indictments reviewed by Heavy Sports, federal prosecutors allege Rozier provided nonpublic injury information to childhood friend Deniro Laster before a March 2023 game while Rozier was playing for the Charlotte Hornets.
Prosecutors claim Rozier told Laster he planned to leave the game early due to a lingering foot injury. Laster then allegedly sold that information to bettors for roughly $100,000, after which Rozier exited the game nine minutes in.
The indictment further alleges Rozier paid for Laster’s travel to Philadelphia to collect the betting proceeds and that the pair later counted the cash together at Rozier’s home.
Both men are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Rozier’s Attorney: ‘The Allegations Are Incredibly Thin’
Rozier’s lawyer firmly denies the allegations.
In an interview on FOX News Channel’s The Will Cain Show, Trusty acknowledged Rozier likely told Laster about his injury — but claimed it was nothing more than a personal conversation between lifelong friends.
“Confiding in a friend and saying, ‘I’m banged up… I think I’m going to sit early in this game,’ that’s not a crime,” Trusty said. “Whatever that friend did is not on Terry.”
He also rejected the claim that Rozier ever handled betting money.
“Terry Rozier had a $100 million contract and a major shoe deal,” Trusty said. “The idea that he’d risk that to fake an injury for $100,000 is absurd.”
Trusty added that Rozier sat out legitimate games late in the 2023 season due to a real foot injury that team medical staff had documented.
“This wasn’t some secret plan,” he said. “It was a normal end-of-season shutdown.”
Boston Angle: A Familiar Name in an Unfamiliar Spotlight
Rozier is best remembered for his breakout postseason during the Celtics’ 2018 run to the Eastern Conference Finals — a spark plug guard who energized TD Garden and became a cult favorite.
Now, the 31-year-old finds himself in a legal saga that extends far beyond basketball.
He has cleared his tax issue. But Rozier’s biggest test yet — a federal courtroom — still lies ahead.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Ex-Celtics Guard Clears Multi-Million Hurdle Before Court Date: Report appeared first on Heavy Sports.