Federal prosecutors outlined a college basketball match-fixing scheme on Thursday that has 26 players now facing charges of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and bribery in sports.
The indictment in the case alleges that more than 39 players from at least 17 Division I schools were involved. Prosecutors say the athletes “fixed and attempted to fix” over 29 games.
“We allege an extensive international criminal conspiracy of NCAA players, alumni, and professional bettors who fixed gains across the country and poisoned the American spirit of competition for monetary gain,” US Attorney David Metcalf said in a Philadelphia news conference on Thursday.
Scheme Began With Chinese Men’s Basketball Games
Investigators allege that scheme was arranged by a group of “fixers” located across the country. Those included: Jalen Smith, 30, of Charlotte, NC; Marves Fairley, 40, of Carson, MS; Shane Hennen, 40, of Las Vegas and Philadelphia; Antonio Blakeney, 29, of Kissimmee, FL; Roderick Winkler, 31, of Little Rock, AR; and Alberto Laureano, 24, of Bronx, NY.
Around September 2022, a group that included Fairley and Hennen allegedly began recruiting and bribing players to fix Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) men’s basketball games via point shaving.
Fixers allegedly asked the players to underperform and help ensure their team failed to cover the spread in certain games. Large wagers were then placed on those games against that team. Fairley and Hennen also recruited Blakeney to help fix games during this time, according to investigators.
At the conclusion of the season in April 2023, Fairley left a package with almost $200,000 in cash in a storage unit for Blakeney. The cash allegedly represented bribe payments and proceeds from the scheme.
Shifting Into NCAA Basketball
After the success of the CBA betting, investigators say the group recruited more fixers to expand into NCAA basketball. The fixers allegedly helped fix games throughout the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 seasons.
Similar to the CBA operation, players were recruited to ensure their teams underperformed and didn’t cover the spread in the first half or entire game. The fixers allegedly recruited players in person, on social media, through text messages, or in phone conversations.
Prosecutors say the bribe payments to players ranged from $10,000 to $30,000 per game. The indictment alleges the group specifically targeted players for whom the bribe payments would meaningfully supplement or exceed “Name-Image-Likeness” compensation.
Millions Wagered
The fixers allegedly wagered millions of dollars and won millions in the process. Investigators estimate that players made hundreds of thousands of dollars.
“The stakes here are far higher than anything on a bet slip. The criminal charges we have filed allege the criminal corruption of collegiate athletics through an international conspiracy of NCAA players, alumni, and professional bettors,” Metcalf said.
“It’s also yet another blow to public confidence in the integrity of sport, which rests on the fundamental principles of fairness, honesty, and respect for the rules of competition. When criminal acts threaten to corrupt such a central institution of American life, the Department of Justice won’t hesitate to step in.”
The FBI reported that schools with players involved in the operation include:
- Abilene Christian
- Alabama State
- Buffalo
- Coppin State
- DePaul
- Eastern Michigan
- Fordham
- Kennesaw State
- La Salle
- New Orleans
- Nicholls
- North Carolina A&T
- Northwestern State
- Robert Morris
- Saint Louis
- Southern Miss
- Tulane
Kennesaw State’s Simeon Cottle, the preseason Conference USA Player of the Year, was one of those included in the indictment. Others include: Delaware State’s Camian Shell; Eastern Michigan’s Carlos Hart; and Texas Southern’s Oumar Koureissi.
Feds revealed the beginning of the investigation into the scheme in September. Since then, it appears to only have expanded to include even more players and schools.
The indictments follow several recent sports betting scandals. Two Cleveland Guardians pitchers were arrested and indicted in November for allegedly rigging pitches. In October, the FBI arrested and charged Miami Heat point guard Terry Rozier and several others for allegedly fixing games and statistics.
