The US District Attorney’s office has launched a investigation into NBA star Malik Beasley amid allegations of gambling related to NBA games and prop bets.
The stunning news, first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania on Sunday lunchtime, is just the latest off-field drama surrounding the Detroit Pistons star, who recently endured a very public split from his wife after five turbulent years of marriage.
Beasley was in serious discussions with the Pistons over a new three-year, $42million contract as he headed into free agency, but it is now being reported that talks have been immediately paused while the investigation plays out.
When asked about the allegations, Beasley’s attorney Steve Haney told ESPN: ‘An investigation is not a charge. Malik is afforded the same right of the presumption of innocence as anyone else under the U.S. consтιтution.
‘As of now he has not been charged with anything.’
News of the investigation into Beasley comes just four months after his model wife Montana Yao filed for separation, and is just the latest in a series of off-field scandals.
Malik Beasley is being investigated by the US DA’s office over NBA gambling allegations
Beasley’s wife Montana Yao (who he is pictured with in 2019) recently filed for separation
The split from his wife comes four years after he was caught having an affair with Scottie Pippen’s ex-wife, Larsa. Beasley and Yao ultimately reunited after he publicly apologized on social media, but she has now filing for separation, citing ‘irreconcilable differences,’ according to court documents.
The couple shares two children, but DailyMail.com understands he has quickly moved on to a new lover – becoming romantically involved with Instagram model and gamer Natalia Garibotto.
The Pistons guard appeared to confirm as much on X recently, describing a ʙικιɴι-clad Garibotto as ‘La mine’ on the social media platform.
A 28-year-old from Atlanta, Beasley is a nine-year NBA veteran who has just finished his first season with the Pistons. The former Florida State guard made $6 million this year and has career earnings approaching $60 million.
He’s also had other legal issues in the past, including an arrest on firearm and drug charges that resulted in a 78-day stint in a Minnesota jail.
Yao (pictured) first broke up with Beasley in 2021 after he was caught with Larsa Pippen
Beasley is now understood to be in a romantic relationship with model Natalia Garibotto
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The incident took place in September of 2020, when Beasley was still playing for the Timberwolves. During a ‘Parade of Homes’ tour through his Plymouth, Minnesota neighborhood, an unidentified couple and their 13-year-old child inadvertently pulled up to a roped-off property being rented by Beasley.
As they decided to look for another home to view, a man matching Beasley’s description allegedly tapped a gun against their car window and told them to get off his property.
As they drove off, the couple claimed, they could see Beasley pointing his gun at them.
The couple then called 9-1-1.
Police arrived at Beasley’s rental, where they found 835 grams (1.8 pounds) of marijuana, a 12-gauge sH๏τgun, a handgun, and an automatic rifle, which matched the description of the one he allegedly pointed at the family as they drove away.
The search warrant for the surveillance cameras revealed that Beasley was seen retrieving the gun from the garage and returning it to a mudroom closet around the time of the alleged incident.
Furthermore, the couple was able to identify both Beasley and the gun, according to police.
Beasley is the son of actors Michael and Deena Beasley, and his grandfather, John Beasley, is a veteran stage performer who also appeared in films such as Rudy, Little Big League, and The Mighty Ducks.
