Judge revokes bail after defendant posts rat emoji to threaten witnesses
De’Niro Laster, accused of conspiring with NBA player Terry Rozier to fix basketball bets, was jailed after prosecutors said a rat emoji he posted on Instagram was meant to intimidate witnesses.
In a Brooklyn federal courtroom, De’Niro Laster was ordered into custody after prosecutors linked an Instagram rat emoji to a pattern of witness intimidation in a sports-betting scheme. The indictment alleges Laster worked with NBA guard Terry Rozier to place bets on Rozier deliberately underperforming in a March 2023 game, then traveled from Pennsylvania to North Carolina to split the proceeds. Federal prosecutor David I. Berman described the emoji use as “utterly egregious,” prompting Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall to rescind Laster’s bail.
The judge noted prior instances where courts imposed harsher penalties for similar conduct. Laster’s attorney, M. Evan Corcoran, argued the emoji was merely a cartoon, but the court found the symbolism clear. Both men maintain not-guilty pleas while the investigation continues.
Why it matters
The case highlights how digital symbols can be used to threaten witnesses in federal fraud investigations.
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