Federal indictment exposes transnational college basketball point-shaving scheme
Federal prosecutors indicted 26 people in a transnational scheme bribing players to shave points in CBA and NCAA games, yielding millions in illicit gambling profits.
Overview
Who: 26 defendants named, including former NBA guard Antonio Blakeney and current or former Division I players, face federal charges of bribery, wire fraud and conspiracy in Philadelphia.
How it worked: Fixers recruited players with payments of $10,000–$30,000 per game to underperform, then placed large bets against those teams to defraud sportsbooks and bettors.
Scope and timeline: Scheme began with two 2023 Chinese Basketball Association games and expanded to at least 29 NCAA games from September 2022 through January 2025, involving 17 teams.
Payments and logistics: Bribes were paid in cash—hand-delivered across more than a dozen states, sometimes stored in a Florida storage unit—while fixers placed high-stakes wagers at casinos and sportsbooks.
Consequences and investigations: NCAA and federal probes have led to suspensions, lifetime bans and ongoing criminal investigations; prosecutors say the probe continues amid rising legal sports betting.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present this reporting as neutral: they rely on prosecutors' filings and official statements, use a Q&A structure to convey facts, limit evaluative language, and provide contextual background about legal sports betting. The coverage emphasizes allegations and indictment details while avoiding speculative or emotive framing.
Sources (21)
FAQ
26 defendants were indicted, including former NBA player Antonio Blakeney (charged separately), current/former Division I players like Jalen Terry, Micawber Etienne, Mac Ettienne, and fixers such as gamblers Shane Hennen and Marves Fairley, plus trainers Jalen Smith, Rodezuck Winkler, and Alberto Laureano.
The scheme started in September 2022 with Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) games, expanded to at least 29 NCAA Division I men's games across 17 teams from September 2022 through January 2025.
Fixers recruited players with cash bribes of $10,000–$30,000 per game to underperform (often in first halves), then placed large bets on those outcomes at sportsbooks and casinos to profit millions.
The 17 affected teams include Western Michigan, Butler, St. John's, Tulane, East Carolina, McNeese State, Nicholls State, Saint Louis, Duquesne, La Salle, Fordham, Buffalo, Kent State, Ohio, Georgetown, DePaul, and New Orleans.
Defendants face federal charges of bribery in sporting contests (up to 5 years max), wire fraud, and conspiracy (up to 20 years max); NCAA has issued suspensions, lifetime bans, and ongoing probes.
History
13 sources