Prosecutors Cite 'Rat' Emoji Posts in Bid to Revoke Terry Rozier Co-Defendant's Bond

Federal prosecutors have accused a co-defendant in the NBA gambling case involving Terry Rozier of tampering with witnesses, pointing to social media activity including rat emojis posted to Instagram as evidence of intimidation efforts.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York stated in a court filing Tuesday that Deniro Laster, who has known Rozier since childhood and is a co-defendant in the case, has repeatedly and flagrantly violated the terms of his release.

Prosecutors are now asking a judge to revoke Laster's bond entirely and keep him in custody through trial, arguing that no lesser measure would guarantee compliance with the court's orders or protect the integrity of the proceedings.

According to the filing, Laster attempted to reach co-defendants both directly and through intermediaries, actions prosecutors say breach the conditions of his bond. Investigators also flagged Instagram accounts linked to Laster that posted rat emojis on at least two separate occasions. Prosecutors argued that the symbolism carried particular weight given Laster's reputation as someone known to own a gun collection and to typically carry a firearm, suggesting the posts were intended to send a threatening message to witnesses or those perceived as cooperating with the investigation.

The government's filing, which has been partially redacted, stated that revoking Laster's bail is the only way to ensure he abides by court orders, avoids further criminal conduct, safeguards the case's integrity, and shields witnesses from intimidation.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office confirmed that a status conference covering all defendants in the case is scheduled for Tuesday. While Laster lacks the public profile of Rozier, prosecutors have described him as a central figure in the alleged scheme.

Investigators claim that when Rozier told Laster he intended to exit early from a March 2023 game between the Charlotte Hornets and the New Orleans Pelicans, Laster passed that information along to sports bettors who then used it to place fraudulent wagers. Prosecutors allege Rozier and Laster struck a bribery arrangement worth approximately $70,000 in exchange for the tip.

Attorneys representing Rozier have pointed to a text message sent by Laster as evidence supporting their client's claim that he had no knowledge of the betting scheme.

In a filing submitted late last week, Rozier's legal team highlighted a message in which Laster wrote, "Dont tell chum bout the bet," to an unnamed recipient, noting that "Chum" serves as Rozier's nickname and suggesting the message shows Rozier was being kept in the dark. Prosecutors pushed back on that interpretation in their response, stating they possess evidence indicating the exchange has no connection to sports gambling.

Rozier and Laster face a slate of charges, including conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud, with a trial currently set for February 8, 2027. Both men have entered not guilty pleas.

Separately, Rozier's attorneys have filed a motion asking the presiding judge to dismiss the charges against their client altogether, arguing the case against him lacks sufficient merit.