Maverick Carter, the longtime manager and business partner of LeBron James, has admitted to betting on NBA and other sports games through an illegal bookie, according to The Washington Post.
Federal law enforcement records obtained by the outlet show Carter made the admission during an interview in November 2021. Federal agents were looking into a bookie named Wayne Nix, who recently pleaded guilty to charges regarding his role running an offshore sports-betting ring.
Carter is said to have placed bets between $5,000 to $10,000 on 20 football and basketball games. However, Carter stated he "could not remember placing any bets on the [Los Angeles] Lakers" and that his gambling had nothing to do with James, nor had he placed bets for anyone else.
"In 2021 and before 38 states and the District of Columbia legalized sports betting, Maverick Carter was interviewed a single time by federal law enforcement regarding their investigation into Wayne Nix," a spokesperson for Carter and James said in a statement. "Mr. Carter was not the target of the investigation, cooperated, was never charged, and never contacted again on the matter."
Nix reportedly has a clientele filled with athletes but his connections ran deep in the basketball community. NBA Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen admitted to placing at least one bet with him and Nix was even seen golfing in a member’s only tournament at Michael Jordan’s exclusive golf club in Florida, where other NBA executives played.
The National Basketball Players Association allows business managers to bet on league games but has banned players, team officials, and league officials from betting.
Carter has been linked with James since they were childhood friends in Akron, Ohio. They joined forces to create a media company titled Springhill Entertainment while also serving as minority owners in the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool, the English soccer club. Throughout his career, James and his team have remained scandal free and have been praised for their business practices.
