Marcus Morris Defrauding Casinos of $265,000 With Bad Checks Stuns Social Media: “How Are You a Millionaire Doing This?”

13-year NBA veteran Marcus Morris was looking to develop his new career of a sports broadcaster with ESPN.

Marcus Morris Defrauding Casinos of $265,000 With Bad Checks Stuns Social Media: “How Are You a Millionaire Doing This?”

Marcus Morris defrauded Las Vegas casinos of $265,000 (Image via FirstSportz)

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A couple of days ago, Marcus Morris Sr. was arrested in Florida over charges of fraud filed in a different state. The 13-year NBA veteran apparently wrote bad checks that could not be cashed because the accounts did not have a sufficient balance.

He was also held without the possibility of a bond, as this was a non-bailable offense. Even though further details were not available, it cast a cloud on the 35-year-old’s chances of continuing in his broadcasting career.

Further details have now emerged regarding the exact nature of this fraud. According to TMZ, Morris Sr. initially received $115,000 from the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in May 2024. Even after the checks bounced, he did not return their money.

A month later, he did the same, this time to the Wynn Las Vegas Hotel and Casino, for $150,000. Again, the checks bounced, and he never repaid the hotel. Warrants were out for both these claims.

The Broward County Sheriff’s Office in Fort Lauderdale acted upon those warrants and arrested Marcus Morris Sr. while he was with his family at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Sunday.

Prosecutors allege that the former Los Angeles Clippers star was not willing to repay the money he owed both casinos. They asked that he be extradited to Las Vegas, where the warrants were originally issued.

Fans shake their heads at Marcus Morris’ methods

When news of this arrest first broke, basketball fans felt it must have been a misunderstanding and that Morris should be out in no time. Even his twin brother, Markieff Morris’ tweet seemed to point in that direction.

Now, when the details came out, the same fans were left stunned. They know Marcus Morris earned more than $106 million throughout his basketball career. Even if he did spend most of it, he should have had enough not to have to defraud two casinos of a combined $265,000.

They could not understand why he would do so in such a manner, knowing fully well that those hotels and casinos have legal teams to make sure such schemers either pay what they owe or spend time in prison. Check out examples of those reactions below:

Marcus Morris Sr. will hope the judge presiding over his case does not go by the book. If they did, then prosecutors would have a field day in not just extracting the money out of the former Clippers star, but he could also face significant jail time.

Judge denies Marcus Morris bond

Marcus Morris was brought in front of a judge earlier. Inside the courtroom, his twin brother Markieff Morris was present, hoping the presiding judge would grant him bail on bond.

Marcus Morris' broadcasting career might be in jeopardy
Marcus Morris’ broadcasting career might be in jeopardy (Image via NBA on TNT/X)

His lawyers argued that the former Kansas Jayhawks star was in the process of paying off his debt. Being in prison was not helping him complete his task.

However, prosecutors argued that it has been a year and the former NBA star has not made any efforts to prove that he was about to pay his debtors back. The judge decided to listen to the latter.

The judge denied the motion for bond, citing that the only way Marcus Morris gets out of the Broward County jail is if the two casinos drop the charges, or if Nevada authorities ask him to be extradited.

His lawyers have asked for a chance to provide additional supporting proof of the 35-year-old’s intent to repay his debt. But the judge asked them to file a separate motion. All of this suggests Morris Sr. will not be making an appearance on ESPN anytime soon.

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