NBA free agent Malik Beasley sued by former agency along with being under gambling investigation
NEW YORK (AP) — NBA free agent Malik Beasley, who is under a federal investigation regarding gambling allegations, is the defendant in a lawsuit filed by his former agency.
New York-based Hazan Sports Management Group sued Beasley in U.S. District Court for breaching a marketing contract on April 18, a day before he and the Detroit Pistons opened a first-round series in New York against the Knicks.
ESPN was the first to report Tuesday on the lawsuit.
Hazan Sports negotiated a $6 million, one-year contract for Beasley with the Pistons last summer. The shooting guard fired the agency in April and hired Seros Partners, according to the lawsuit, despite a four-year exclusive marketing agreement.
The agency is asking for $1 million in damages, plus a $650,000 advance it gave him along with commissions and expenses owed, according to the lawsuit.
Both sides are working on a settlement, according to a June 11 filing.
A message seeking comment was left with the agency. Beasley's attorney is not mentioned in the filings. His representative, Steve Haney, in the federal investigation said Tuesday he is not a part of the lawsuit.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York is investigating Beasley regarding gambling allegations tied to league games.
'In 23 years of practicing law, I've had numerous clients federally investigated who have never been charged,' Haney said. 'Hope people keep that in mind and reserve judgement.'
The probe into Beasley comes 14 months after the NBA banned Toronto's Jontay Porter, who was linked to a prop bet investigation and eventually pleaded guilty to committing wire fraud.
This past season, The Wall Street Journal was first to report that Terry Rozier — then of the Charlotte Hornets — was under investigation for activity related to unusual betting patterns surrounding him in a March 2023 game.
Rozier, now of the Miami Heat, has not been charged with any crime, nor has he faced any sanction from the NBA.
Porter's ban came after a similar investigation into his performance and 'prop bets' — wages where bettors can choose whether a player will reach a certain statistical standard or not during a game. The Porter investigation started once the league learned from 'licensed sports betting operators and an organization that monitors legal betting markets' about unusual gambling patterns surrounding Porter's performance in a game on March 20, 2024, against Sacramento.
The league determined that Porter gave a bettor information about his own health status prior to that game and said that another individual — known to be an NBA bettor — placed an $80,000 bet that Porter would not hit the numbers set for him in parlays through an online sports book. That bet would have won $1.1 million.
Beasley signed last year with the Pistons, taking a one-year contract for $6 million in the hopes of cashing in this summer as a free agent.
He made a single-season, franchise-record 319 3-pointers in the regular season. He helped Detroit make the playoffs for the first time since 2019 and end an NBA-record 15-game postseason losing streak in the first round against the New York Knicks.
Beasley averaged 16.3 points last season and has averaged 11.7 points over his career with Denver, Minnesota, Utah, the Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee and Detroit. He scored a career-high 19.6 points a game during the 2020-21 season with the Timberwolves.
The Atlanta native played at Florida State and the Nuggets drafted him No. 19 overall in 2016.
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AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds contributed to this report. ___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
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CNN
32 minutes ago
- CNN
Takeaways from the verdict in Sean ‘Diddy' Combs' federal sex trafficking trial
People in entertainment Sean 'Diddy' Combs Human rights CrimeFacebookTweetLink Follow The jury in the federal sex trafficking trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs returned its verdict on Wednesday, clearing the hip-hop mogul of the most serious charges, though he was convicted on two lesser charges of transportation to engage in prostitution. The verdict is, to some extent, a win for Combs, who will avoid the worst case scenario: If he had been convicted of the more serious charges of racketeering conspiracy or sex trafficking, Combs could have faced up to life in prison. Instead, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years – though it's unlikely he'll serve a sentence that long, and he could even be sentenced to the time he's served since his arrest in September 2024. 'It's a bit of a paradox, because here we have Sean Combs, who has just been convicted of two federal felonies,' said CNN Senior Legal Analyst Elie Honig. 'And for all practical purposes, he has won. He has defeated the Southern District of New York.' Prosecutors accused Combs of leading a criminal enterprise made up of some of his closest employees, alleging they used threats, violence, forced labor, bribery and other crimes to force Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura and another woman, 'Jane,' to engage in drug-fueled sex acts with male escorts called 'Freak Offs' or 'hotel nights.' Combs pleaded not guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking and two counts of transportation for prostitution. His lawyers argued the sex acts were consensual and merely preferences, while trying to undermine the hip-hop mogul's accusers by contending they were trying to gain a monetary benefit from Combs. Here are takeaways from the jury's verdict. Combs and his defense team surely hoped he would be acquitted on all counts. But the verdict Wednesday is something of a boon for a star defendant who has seen his reputation diminish in the face of repeated accusations of wrongdoing. His acquittals on racketeering conspiracy and two counts of sex trafficking are striking when looked at within the context of the defendant's fall from grace: Two years ago, Ventura filed a lawsuit claiming Combs had raped and physically and emotionally abused her. Combs agreed to settle the lawsuit a day later; his attorney said it was 'in no way an admission of wrongdoing.' Ventura's lawsuit was only the beginning: More accusers came forward with allegations against Combs, and in March 2024, heavily armed federal agents searched the producer's homes in Los Angeles and Florida. Two months later, CNN published hotel surveillance video captured eight years earlier showing Combs physically assaulting Ventura in an elevator lobby at a Los Angeles hotel – footage included as part of the prosecution's case for sex trafficking as to Ventura. Now, while the verdict is mixed, Combs can claim some vindication on being cleared of the most serious charges. 'Regardless of what anyone thinks of Sean Combs … the simple fact is, as of right now, in the eyes of the law, he has not been convicted of a crime of violence,' said CNN Legal Analyst Elliot Williams. 'He has not been convicted of the far more serious, life-eligible crimes that he was charged with.' The verdict shows prosecutors failed to prove racketeering conspiracy; and while the jury's reasoning is not known, experts told CNN prior to deliberations that prosecutors' greatest challenge would be securing a conviction on this charge. That jurors found Combs not guilty shows they were unconvinced, either of the existence of a so-called 'enterprise' – a key piece of any racketeering case – or that he and others committed the underlying crimes that would support a conviction. The charge comes from the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO, which was passed by Congress in 1970 to prosecute organized crime. Racketeering is not a single, specific crime, but a framework for prosecuting many different crimes; in a RICO case, these are called 'predicate acts.' In Combs' case, prosecutors specifically argued the defendant and members of his inner circle had engaged in crimes involving kidnapping, arson, forced labor, bribery and sex trafficking. To convict, jurors would have needed to find Combs and at least one other person committed at least two predicate acts within a ten-year window. The use of RICO in Combs' case, while not entirely novel, was unusual in that he was charged alone. Jurors did not hear direct testimony from many of the people who would have been members of the alleged enterprise – namely his closest employees, like his chief of staff or some of his security guards. And legal analysts had wondered whether the evidence presented at trial had clearly linked Combs' alleged criminal acts to an enterprise. In their closing argument, the government offered jurors a roadmap, outlining the charge, the elements needed to prove it and the parts of their case that would support a conviction. Still, the argument did not persuade jurors. Combs' acquittal on sex trafficking charges is a big blow to the prosecutors for the Southern District of New York – and to his accusers, Ventura and a woman who testified under the pseudonym 'Jane,' each of whom spent days testifying, recounting years of abuse they said they suffered from Combs. While prosecutors accused Combs of sex trafficking as a predicate act under the umbrella of racketeering conspiracy, they also charged him with two separate counts of sex trafficking, one each for Ventura and Jane. To prove sex trafficking, prosecutors needed to prove Combs compelled the women to participate in commercial sex acts through force, fraud or coercion. And jurors were presented with myriad examples of alleged physical violence and financial control. Regarding Ventura, prosecutors contended physical force was illustrated in one instance by the InterContinental Hotel surveillance footage showing Combs assault Ventura in 2016 – first published by CNN. Testimony by both women suggested some level of financial or professional control; Ventura signed to Combs' record label at just 19, and prosecutors agued he controlled her career. Jane, meanwhile, testified she and Combs entered into a 'love contract' where he agreed to pay her $10,000 rent, but that he threatened to cut her off financially if she stopped participating in 'hotel nights.' Combs' attorneys had acknowledged physical abuse, but argued throughout the trial that domestic violence did not amount to sex trafficking. Prosecutors also told the jury they weren't suggesting every 'Freak Off' and 'hotel night' were instances of sex trafficking. Both Ventura and Jane testified they were willing to try the sexual encounters in the beginning of their relationships with Combs. The jury's verdict suggests prosecutors did not prove the elements needed to convict – like the force, fraud and coercion. 'My heart in this moment is going out to Cassie,' said Dream Hampton, the executive producer of 'Surviving R. Kelly.' 'I can't imagine what she's feeling.' 'I'm afraid that with Puff walking from the more serious charges that he's – not only him, the whole entire discourse – I just wonder what we're going to learn from this,' Hampton added. Combs was convicted, however, on two charges of transportation to engage in prostitution, each of which pertained to Ventura or Jane and the men Combs paid to have sex with them. Those charges were more straightforward than the other, and prosecutors merely needed to prove that people crossed state lines to engage in prostitution. Both women testified to having 'Freak Offs' or 'hotel nights' in a variety of locales, and prosecutors presented documents to bolster that testimony, including flight records, American Express charges and hotel invoices for Combs' former girlfriends and the men. 'What was clearer throughout this trial was acts of prostitution that were supported by airplane records, payments and so on – information that would just be hard to deny,' said Williams. 'There were sex acts, no one disputes that, and they were paid for. And there's a paper trail linking the defendant to them. That was far more straightforward for the prosecution to prove compared to some of the other things.' Prior to trial, Combs' defense unsuccessfully lobbied for the transportation to engage in prostitution charges, which stem from the Mann Act, to be dismissed, citing the statute's 'racist origins.' Attorneys for Combs have previously accused the government of racism, allegations the government denied. Doug Wigdor, Ventura's attorney, acknowledged Wednesday's verdict was 'not the exact outcome we wanted' in an interview with CNN. 'Cassie prompted this investigation…and now Sean Combs stands before the court as a convicted felon of two federal crimes. He faces significant incarceration,' he said. While the verdict marks the beginning of the end of one legal chapter for Combs, he still faces legal trouble. Most immediately, he'll face sentencing for the prostitution charges for which he was convicted Wednesday. Each carries up to ten years, but CNN legal analysts indicated it's possible he serves less. 'Certainly very few people are ever sentenced to the top of the statutory maximum,' Williams said. 'So we should get the ten year or 20 year figure out of our heads. But he will go to jail for some time.' Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. In the meantime, his attorneys hope Combs will be released from federal custody while he waits. Judge Arun Subramanian asked the defense attorneys and prosecutors to submit letters on their positions about the possibility of releasing Sean 'Diddy' Combs ahead of a bail hearing Wednesday evening. 'Mr. Combs has been given his life by this jury,' said defense attorney Marc Agnifilo, as he argued for the judge to allow his client to return home. Combs also still faces a raft of civil lawsuits – nearly 70 have been filed so far, with several as recent as last week – accusing Combs of further wrongdoing, including sexual assault. Combs has denied all the allegations. Notably, civil claims carry a lower burden of proof. In the criminal trial, jurors needed to find Combs guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. But in a civil case, the proof only needs to meet what's called a 'preponderance of the evidence,' or more likely than not.
New York Times
35 minutes ago
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Mike Brown has faced pressure before, but this time might be different. Welcome to the Knicks
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The pressure is tremendous. The Knicks feel like they got the right person to end a 50-plus year title drought. And maybe they do. We won't know that answer, though, for quite some time. What we do know right now is that of all the coaches available to the Knicks, no one was more familiar with the gravity of the situation than Brown. That's at least a good start.
Fox Sports
35 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
A pair of Makars on the Avalanche roster? Taylor hopes to one day join older brother Cale
Associated Press DENVER (AP) — Should Taylor Makar someday make the roster, big brother Cale needs to consider altering the back of his Colorado Avalanche sweater. That's the running joke of Taylor, anyway — a 'C. Makar' modification from simply "Makar" to make room for 'T. Makar.' One Makar on the blue line and another at forward is something they've thought about since they were growing up in Calgary, Alberta. Because of their age difference — Cale is more than 2 years older — the tandem has never really been on the same elite team. If it happens with the Avalanche, they could join the likes of the Hughes brothers, who have Jack and Luke suiting up together with the New Jersey Devils (brother Quinn plays for Vancouver). Cale, of course, is already well-established as one of the league's top defensemen and coming off a season in which he won the Norris Trophy. Taylor keeps working his way toward the NHL. He started last year at the University of Maine before joining the Avalanche's American Hockey League affiliate, the Colorado Eagles, for the remainder of the season. When big brother speaks, Taylor carefully listens. 'I learn a lot from him,' said Taylor, who's taking part in the Avalanche's development camp this week but not skating as he rehabs from an upper body injury. 'Obviously, we train together. Do everything. It's just cool.' He cracked: 'Hopefully, he has to put a 'C' (for C. Makar) on his (sweater)." Although, it's not a requirement by the league. Sibling rivalry The Makar brothers are highly competitive in whatever hobby, activity or sport in which they challenge each other. By Taylor's scorecard, he reigns over Cale in cribbage, basketball, board games and video games. He gives Cale the edge on the golf course and sometimes in tennis. To hear Cale tell it, though, the rules sometimes get bent. 'He's the feisty little brother that would cheap-shot you when everything was said and done," Cale recently said. 'I'd usually win and then for some reason I'd call it quits and he kind of gave me cheap shots. As kids, we had a lot of fun like that. It definitely brings back a lot of memories. I think it's helped us later in life in competitiveness." Cale made his NHL debut in the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs and has been a goal-scoring, puck-defending force ever since. He's coming off a season in which he had 30 goals as he became the first NHL defenseman to reach that mark since Mike Green scored 31 for Washington in 2008-09. No surprise, Cale was awarded the Norris Trophy as the league's top defenseman (he also won the award in 2022, the season Colorado captured the Stanley Cup). Now this was a surprise — the secret celebration his younger brother helped spring to commemorate the achievement. Taylor played a role in organizing a golf outing for the unsuspecting Cale as family and friends gathered in the backyard for the trophy presentation. When the group stopped by during their round, everyone was waiting. 'It turned out well, and he was pretty excited,' explained Taylor, a seventh-round pick by Colorado in 2021. 'It was a cool, special moment for all the people that are really close to him and our family to share together.' The Makar name For Taylor, there's no added pressure having 'Makar' on the back of his sweater given his brother's success. In fact, it's 'pretty cool,' he conceded. Big brother's biggest piece of advice? 'Just be myself,' Taylor said. Cale, 26, certainly is proud of his younger brother. The 24-year-old Taylor is coming off a season at Maine where he scored 18 goals and had 12 assists in 38 games. He then signed an entry-level deal and joined the Eagles, scoring a goal in five regular-season games. 'I think he's got a lot of intangibles that once he puts them all together he's got a really bright career ahead,' said Cale, who was the fourth overall pick by the Avalanche in 2017. 'It's cool to be able to have family this close now.' Watching little brother In April, Cale ventured up to Loveland, Colorado, to watch his brother play for the Eagles. Of course, there were extenuating circumstances — Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog was with the Eagles on a conditioning assignment in his recovery from a serious knee injury. It marked Landeskog's first professional game since Colorado's Cup run in 2022. 'First time I've seen (Taylor) play live at least since (youth hockey)," said Cale, who along with teammate Nathan MacKinnon was part of Team Canada's first six players chosen to take part in the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Taylor's road to making the Avalanche roster to start the season figures to be difficult. Colorado is a bona fide title contender and stacked at forward. 'Just keep working hard, keep learning,' Taylor said. 'Got a ways to go, but just put everything out there.' ___ AP NHL: recommended
