NBA veteran Marcus Morris Sr. is facing serious legal trouble after being arrested on felony fraud charges tied to a pair of alleged scams involving two of Las Vegas’ most iconic casinos.
According to court documents obtained by multiple outlets, Morris is accused of defrauding the MGM Grand and Wynn Las Vegas out of a combined $265,000 through a series of bounced checks in May and June 2024.
Prosecutors claim that Morris wrote a $115,000 check to the MGM Grand in May 2024, which later bounced due to insufficient funds. Just weeks later, he allegedly repeated the scheme at Wynn Las Vegas, writing a $150,000 check that also failed to clear. Both incidents triggered felony charges for drawing or passing a check with intent to defraud and theft of $100,000 or more.
The charges stem from what Nevada law treats as unpaid casino markers, essentially short-term loans extended by casinos to high-rolling patrons. If not repaid, these markers are treated as bad checks and can lead to criminal prosecution.
Morris was arrested on July 27, 2025, at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida. He appeared in court two days later, wearing a beige jail-issued jumpsuit and handcuffs, as footage from the hearing revealed.
The judge denied his request for bail, citing outstanding warrants and extradition concerns. Morris will remain in custody pending a decision from Nevada authorities, who may either extradite him or drop the charges if the debts are repaid.
TMZSports: NBA Star Marcus Morris Appears In Court In Handcuffs, Judge Denies Bond pic.twitter.com/MOuJaXbRPy
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) July 29, 2025
Morris’ agent, Yony Noy, and his twin brother Markieff Morris have publicly defended him, claiming the situation has been exaggerated. Noy insists the case is about an outstanding casino marker, not intentional fraud, and that a large payment has already been wired to resolve the issue.
Markieff, who attended the hearing, criticized the public nature of the arrest, writing on X:
“They got y’all really thinking bro did some fraud s**t… When y’all hear the real story… Lesson learned.”
Morris, 35, has played for eight NBA teams over 13 seasons, including the Knicks, Clippers, and Cavaliers, earning over $106 million in career salary. His best season came in 2019–20 with New York, where he averaged 19.6 points per game. He’s currently a free agent and has made recent appearances on ESPN’s First Take and Get Up.
With another court hearing scheduled for late August, Morris’ future, both on and off the court, hangs in the balance.
