U.S. charges 20 college basketball players in largest point-shaving scandal in 75 years

Federal prosecutors on Thursday charged 20 current and former U.S. college basketball players in what authorities described as the largest point-shaving scandal in 75 years, alleging a sprawling betting conspiracy that manipulated nearly 30 games across 17 NCAA Division I teams.

A grand jury indictment unsealed in Philadelphia accused the defendants of participating in an “international criminal conspiracy” involving bribery, wire fraud, and illegal sports betting tied to both NCAA contests and games in China’s professional league. Prosecutors said players were paid to deliberately underperform so their teams would fail to cover betting point spreads.

“This was a massive scheme. It enveloped the world of college basketball,” said David Metcalf, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “It involves games in the playoffs and conference championships. It was a significant corruption of the integrity of sports.”

According to the indictment, alleged ringleaders Shane Hennen and Marves Fairley placed millions of dollars in wagers on games they had fixed, paying players between $10,000 and $30,000 per game. Prosecutors said the conspiracy spanned teams in the Gulf Coast, Midwest, Northeast, and Southern United States, including programs in New Orleans, Tulane, Nicholls State, Alabama State, Buffalo, and Fordham.

Authorities said the scheme began as early as September 2022 with the manipulation of games in the Chinese Basketball Association before expanding into U.S. college basketball. Former Chicago Bulls guard Antonio Blakeney was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and accused of helping fix games in China, recruiting teammates, and later facilitating point shaving in NCAA contests after returning to the United States.

In one example cited by prosecutors, conspirators placed at least $198,300 in wagers with BetRivers Sportsbook in Philadelphia on a fixed game.

Speaking alongside Metcalf, Andrew Bailey, the FBI’s co-deputy director, warned that law enforcement would pursue similar cases aggressively. “To those who choose corruption and betrayal: we will find you, we will investigate you, and we will hold you accountable,” he said.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association said it has opened sports betting integrity investigations into roughly 40 student-athletes from 20 schools over the past year and has already permanently banned several. In a statement, NCAA President Charlie Baker said the association was working closely with law enforcement.

“Protecting competition integrity is of the utmost importance for the NCAA,” Baker said, adding that the indictments demonstrate enforcement efforts are working. He renewed calls to eliminate collegiate prop bets, which he said pose heightened integrity risks.

“Prop bets, generally, are probably one of the most corrosive elements and bad sports betting for everybody,” Baker said. “It’s brutal on the kids when they don’t hit the so-called prop or when they do. It creates terrible incentives for everybody.”

Prosecutors and commentators have compared the case to the notorious 1951 City College of New York point-shaving scandal, which led to lifetime bans for dozens of players. Metcalf stopped short of a direct comparison but described the current case as “historic” in scope.

“The stakes here are far higher than anything on a bet slip,” Metcalf said. “It’s 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.”