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Marcus Morris has been firmly denied bond following his arrest on fraud charges at Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport on Sunday, TMZ reports. The 35‑year‑old appeared in handcuffs during a Tuesday court hearing, where the judge denied Morris‘ release, citing outstanding warrants and potential extradition concerns.
New allegations reveal $265K casino fraud in Las Vegas
According to freshly obtained court documents, prosecutors allege Morris defrauded two major Las Vegas casinos by writing bad checks in 2024:
In May, he allegedly issued a $115,000 check to the MGM Grand that never cleared. A month later, he reportedly wrote another delinquent $150,000 check to Wynn Las Vegas. In total, the alleged fraud amounts to approximately $265,000.
Two separate arrest warrants for Morris were issued earlier this year tied to these incidents. He was taken into custody at the airport in Florida and remains in custody pending extradition to Nevada.
Markieff Morris, Marcus’ twin brother, slammed the public nature of the arrest, writing on X:
“The wording is crazy… They got y’all really thinking bro did some fraud s‑t… When y’all hear the real story… Lesson learned.”
His agent, Yony Noy, also defended him on social media, calling the case “absolute insanity” and emphasizing that the claims stem from an outstanding casino marker, not intentional fraud.
Legal path forward
Morris’ attorneys argued that bond would allow him to pay down his debt more quickly. The judge, however, refused. She said Morris could only be released for extradition to Nevada, where the warrants originated, or if the state withdraws the arrests.
Another court appearance is scheduled for late August, but his team hopes the case resolves sooner.
This incident extends Morris’ legal history. In 2012, he entered a diversion program for battery charges, and in 2015 he was acquitted of assault related to a brawl involving his brother Markieff.
Over his 13‑year NBA career, drafted 14th overall in 2011 by Houston, Morris played for eight teams, logging over 820 games with career averages of 12.0 points and 4.4 rebounds. His peak season came with the Knicks in 2019‑20, averaging 19.6 points over 43 games. His last NBA action came in the 2023‑24 season, and he has since made frequent appearances on ESPN’s “First Take.”
