Former NBA Player Ed Davis Signals He Will Plead Guilty In Beasley Betting Case
Former NBA player Ed Davis has signalled his intent to plead guilty in the federal sports betting case brought in Brooklyn, according to a docket entry on Friday, November 6, 2026, reported by ESPN.
The judge overseeing the case asked a federal magistrate to schedule a hearing for Davis to change his plea.
Davis is one of six defendants charged over an alleged scheme to manipulate former Milwaukee Bucks guard Malik Beasley's play for betting profit.
The case is one of the most closely watched sports betting integrity stories in the US.
What Davis Faces
Davis, 37, initially pleaded not guilty to four federal charges, including bribery in sporting contests and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
The indictment also lists honest services wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy.
John Adams, one of Davis' attorneys, told ESPN the defence had no further comment beyond the docket entry.
A spokesperson for the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York also declined to comment. Until a plea is formally entered in court, the charges remain allegations.
The indictment was unsealed on June 29, 2026, as reported by CBS News. Maximum sentences are 20 years for each wire fraud conspiracy count, 20 years for a money laundering conspiracy, and 5 years for bribery in sporting contests.
The Alleged Scheme
Prosecutors say Davis acted as Beasley's "gatekeeper" and that the pair coordinated on at least four games during the 2023-24 season.
According to the indictment, Beasley told Davis in advance when he intended to underperform or overperform against betting lines on his statistics.
The government alleges Davis passed that non-public information to other co-defendants, who placed wagers conditioned on Beasley's performance, and that Beasley was paid in the form of reduced or cancelled gambling debts owed to Davis.
Examples cited include games against the Cleveland Cavaliers on January 26, 2024, the Charlotte Hornets on February 27 and the Los Angeles Clippers on March 10.
Prosecutors say the wagers totalled hundreds of thousands of dollars across multiple betting operators. Davis texted Beasley in December 2023: "Only way you can beat Vegas is sports betting," according to the indictment.
Where The Other Defendants Stand
Beasley, who played nine seasons in the NBA, agreed to plead guilty last week as part of a deal with prosecutors and is scheduled to formally change his plea at a hearing on December 9, ESPN reported.
Paolo Zamorano, who was Davis' agent, is now the only defendant who has not pleaded guilty or signalled an intent to do so, according to the same report.
The other defendants are William Brown, Robert Gorodetsky and Ernesto Plascencia.
Why It Matters For Bettors
US Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said when the Eastern District of New York announced the case that bribery and insider betting schemes "erode the integrity of American sports and victimize the sports-watching public."
Licensed operators monitor unusual player prop activity and report it to regulators, a safeguard explained in our sportsbook guide.
ESPN's report did not give a date for Davis' hearing. We will update this story when one is set and when a plea is entered.
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