Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier has formally resolved an $8.2 million IRS tax lien, The Athletic reported on Tuesday ahead of next week’s arraignment.
The update comes as Rozier prepares for his first scheduled appearance in federal court next week in connection with a sprawling sports betting investigation that has shaken the NBA.
Rozier ‘Satisfied’ $8.2M Lien, Court Records Show
The IRS filed a certificate of release on Oct. 29, 2025, stating that Rozier had “satisfied” the $8,218,211.70 lien issued in November 2023. The release was officially recorded with the Broward County clerk’s office on Nov. 20, according to The Athletic report.
Jim Trusty, Rozier’s attorney, previously told The Athletic in October that the lien stemmed from a filing glitch, not a genuine multimillion-dollar tax liability.
“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 said at the time. “Once the accountant clarified the situation, Terry was found to owe only $3,000 in unpaid taxes for 2021. That amount has been taken care of.”
Trusty added he expected the lien to be formally withdrawn — a step now reflected in court records.
Rozier to Appear in Federal Court on Sports Betting Charges
Rozier is scheduled to appear in federal court in Brooklyn next Monday for an arraignment tied to one of the largest federal sports betting investigations in NBA history.
Federal prosecutors allege that Rozier, 31, provided nonpublic injury information to his childhood friend, Deniro Laster, before a March 2023 game while Rozier was still with the Charlotte Hornets.
According to unsealed indictments reviewed by Heavy Sports, Rozier allegedly told Laster he planned to leave the game early due to a lingering foot injury. Laster then reportedly sold that information to bettors for roughly $100,000, after which Rozier exited the game just nine minutes into the contest.
Prosecutors claim Rozier later paid for Laster’s travel to Philadelphia, where Laster collected the proceeds. The indictment alleges the pair met afterward at Rozier’s home to count the money.
Both Rozier and Laster were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, part of a federal sweep that led to 34 arrests, including Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and former NBA guard Damon Jones.
Attorney Jim Trusty: ‘The Allegations Are Incredibly Thin’
Rozier’s legal team has vigorously denied the accusations. In an October appearance on FOX News Channel’s The Will Cain Show, Trusty acknowledged that Rozier spoke with Laster about his injury — but insisted the conversation was personal, not criminal.
“Confiding in a childhood friend and saying, ‘Man, 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.”
Trusty said Rozier is being unfairly implicated due to association rather than intent.
“The allegations in the indictment are incredibly thin,” he said. “Maybe the league should create rules about who players can tell. But what Terry did isn’t illegal.”
Trusty also rejected the prosecution’s claim that Rozier assisted in handling gambling profits.
“We very much dispute that,” Trusty said. “Terry Rozier had a $100 million contract and a major shoe endorsement. The idea that he’d risk that to fake an injury for $100,000 is absurd.”
Rozier’s Injury Was Legitimate, Attorney Says
Trusty emphasized that Rozier’s foot injury was real and medically documented.
“This was a guy who was banged up after a long 82-game season,” he said. “The Hornets were out of the playoffs. Medical staff knew. Coaching staff knew. He sat the final few games. He actually lost money — his shoe deal had appearance bonuses he didn’t reach.”
Trusty maintained that Rozier was acting under medical guidance, not participating in an illicit scheme.
“This wasn’t some secret plan,” he said. “It was a normal end-of-season shutdown.”
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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
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