Longtime NBA forward Marcus Morris was denied bond during a hearing Tuesday morning in Florida’s Broward County, two days after he was arrested on fraud charges, Chuck Shilken of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Morris’ legal issues stem from allegations he stole more than $250K from two prominent Las Vegas casinos, according to TMZ Sports. The judge denied Morris’ motion to set bond, saying that she did not have the jurisdiction to make such a ruling for an out-of-state case, per Shilken.
According to court documents, Morris allegedly received $115K from the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino via bad checks in May 2024 and never paid it back when the checks bounced. The following month, he took $150K in a similar fashion from the Wynn Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. There were two felony counts in each case — drawing or passing a check for $1,200 or more with the intent to defraud and theft valued at $100K or more.
There were two separate warrants for Morris’ arrest were issued over the claims earlier this year. Morris was taken into custody at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport due to the warrants.
Yony Noy, an agent for Morris, published a Twitter post in which he denied that his client committed fraud.
“Just so everyone understands this is zero fraud here or whatever crap outlets have said regarding fake checks or whatever the hell,” Noy wrote. “This is due to an outstanding marker with a casino. Apparently if you have over $1,200 they can issue a warrant for your arrest. Absolute insanity!”
According to the L.A. Times story, the prosecuting attorney representing the state of Florida confirmed that there are two warrants for Morris’ arrest in Nevada and both are for outstanding markers for more than $100K each. The prosecuting attorney also indicated that although Nevada is looking to extradite Morris, it is willing to dismiss the charges if Morris’ debts are paid in full.
An attorney representing Morris said that “a large payment” had already been made in order to resolve the issue.
Morris played in the NBA from 2011-24, including a total of 49 games with the Sixers and Cavaliers during the 2023/24 campaign. He went unsigned as a free agent after that season.
Gambling is a hell of a drug.
arguably the most hellish
Very professional sounding from the lawyer. I expect a slap on the wrist if he pays up enough to the casinos. But the only way for famous people to really get in trouble is to steal from someone with way more money than them.
That’s because it is an agent. Not his lawyer….
Not surprised. The Morris twins have always been morons.
Sounds like he has a bad gambling problems. Next up the NBA will be checking if he bet on NBA games.
Arc89 he is retired so the NBA can’t do s**t about it if he did.
His net worth is 55 million so he probably forgot he even owed such a small amount to him. Why his checks bounced is pure stupidity on his part.
He earned $106m in his career. He probably pocketed 50%, if not less, after taxes and fees. He didn’t live on a shoestring during his career.
He isn’t worth $55m in 2025. If he could have easily paid his debt, he wouldn’t have gone through an arrest and a bail hearing without paying still.
Net worth also doesn’t mean you have that money in your bank account. You would have to basically sell everything you own to achieve that net worth and even then it’s just an estimant.
no one thinks 250k is such a small amount.
That mfer is broke lol
Morris: “Easiest $115k ever… hell, maybe I’ll do $150,000 next time.”
Until he is proven guilty he is presumed innocent. Or is this not America anymore? I’ll wait.
That only applies in a Court of Law…
not the streets, social media, or Hoops Rumors threads
As per the story above ve:
“An attorney representing Morris said that “a large payment” had already been made in order to resolve the issue”.
What are you waiting for? He’s already making arrangements to repay the money.
How is repaying a gambling debt fraud? Seems like the opposite.
The repayment is to “resolve the issue”, the issue being resolved is the Fraud he committed.
No, the issue is an unpaid debt. That’s not fraud. The casino is putting him on blast to collect their money. He is “guilty” of owing a casino money (which is not a crime as far as i know). He is not guilty of fraud until it’s proven in court. Sorry to break it to you.
Sorry to nit pick. The unpaid debt is considered a felony. That is why he was arrested. You are correct that the casinos will drop the charges if he pays the debt off. (And that he has been arrested but not convicted)
While an unpaid debt is not fraud, if you don’t pay your Spectrum Cable bill, Spectrum can’t have you arrested.
If you pay your Spectrum bill with a stolen credit card, that is fraud… and you can be arrested – especially if you do it twice.
Passing bad checks….
Read my post below. He wasn’t writing bad checks. That is just how Nevada law treats unpaid debts to casinos. In Vegas, if you don’t pay the casinos you can get arrested.
America stands for “preponderance of evidence” for 90% of our law. Ironically holding your perspective until proof beyond doubt is very unamerican, at least as the law is written and founding father’s intended it. They cared about protecting individual liberty not giving uncritical people a stupid reason for remaining uncritical. But go on and keep telling yourself how smart you are for not understanding American law.
Ok but I’m still right and you’re not. Not sure what intent has to do with it. Intent and reality are different. Don’t need a founding father to tell you that do you?
Gambling was a mistake. Gambling is worse for your life than heroin. Ban all gambling everywhere inside the USA.
Gambling can’t cause an overdose…
I wonder how many casinos defrauded their investors over the years with false statements about viability. Casinos have no leg to stand on. Atlantic City is yelling from the grave. Or just their scam of a business model.
He’s made over 108 million in his career, why do you need to screw around with 250 k
Because you have a gambling addiction and have spent all your money. Or it was an honest mistake, or something in between.
If he had the money, why pull the scam at a different casino the next time ? Lots of retired players can’t reign in the spending. Maybe he saw Barkley didn’t get into any trouble and just assumed no one would be upset since they had such a “world famous” gambler in their casino.
See my post below. He didn’t write bad checks, he took out loans from the casinos then didn’t pay them back. Nevada law treats that as a bad check. A little confusing, but makes more sense then writing checks that bounce.
These athletes are so lucky now. What an easy life. I don’t have time to gamble because I’m too busy actually working
What a pathetic take
Ok looked it up. When you take out a “marker” from a casino, which is a short term loan, the casino can auto deduct the balance from your account if you don’t pay it off in 30 days. If you don’t have the money in your bank account then Nevada law treats it as a bad check and the casino can go to the local court and get a warrant for your arrest. Don’t mess with Vegas casinos. The law there is all about protecting them. That being said, this was a year old debt. Hope Markus is doing ok.
Sounds like the Nevada prosecutors are in the pocket of casinos tbh.
The state of Nevada is in the pocket of casinos.
Funny enough I’ve played craps with him and his group at the MGM twice. He’s been there over all star weekend multiple times when I’ve happened to be there. He was very nice to everybody but through around thousands like it was nothing.
I can’t believe Darryl Morey would do this!
Anyone who is that well known. And is passing fake chks. Is only crying for help. Or high as a Mo r. What do you think is going to happen.
Shocked pikachu face.gif.