Post by : Meena Ariff

A sweeping investigation has uncovered a large-scale scheme to fix basketball games in both the NCAA and the Chinese Basketball Association, leading to charges against 26 individuals, including more than a dozen college players, federal prosecutors announced. The scheme reportedly continued as recently as last season.

Authorities said the plot centered on gamblers who offered players cash in exchange for deliberately underperforming during games. Once players followed through, the fixers would place bets against those teams, deceiving sportsbooks and other bettors.

U.S. Attorney David Metcalf described the case as an “international criminal conspiracy” and said it represents a “serious corruption of the integrity of sports.” He also noted that others, including unnamed players, may have been involved, and the investigation is ongoing.

This indictment comes amid a wave of gambling scandals in sports following a 2018 Supreme Court decision that opened the door to widespread legal sports betting in the United States. Previous cases have included NCAA lifetime bans for at least 10 players and federal charges against professional baseball players who accepted bribes.

The 26 defendants face charges including bribery, wire fraud, and conspiracy. Authorities said five were “fixers”—three with ties to players through coaching or training, and two identified as gamblers and sports handicappers.

The scheme began with two Chinese Basketball Association games in 2023. After initial success, fixers moved on to NCAA games, targeting more than 39 players across 17 Division I men’s basketball teams and attempting to fix over 29 games. Millions of dollars were wagered, with players receiving bribes typically ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 per game.

NCAA President Charlie Baker emphasized the importance of protecting competition integrity and confirmed that the organization is investigating nearly all teams mentioned in the indictment. Authorities named over 40 schools involved in affected games, including Tulane University and DePaul University.

The scheme targeted games in major conferences and playoffs, such as the Horizon League and Southland Conference championships. Players often recruited teammates to cooperate, deliberately playing poorly or preventing others from scoring. Sometimes, attempted fixes failed, resulting in losses for the fixers.

Investigators said fixers used texts to tempt players, including sending photos of cash as proof of payment. In one instance, a fixer tried to convince a Saint Louis University player to recruit a teammate, writing, “send that to him if he bite he bite if he don’t so be it lol.” Another fixer offered $3,000 per player to encourage Eastern Michigan University players to participate in a game-fixing attempt.

Cash payments were usually hand-delivered, although one fixer failed to pay four Alabama State University players after a 2024 game against the University of Southern Mississippi.

Among those charged, four players—Simeon Cottle, Carlos Hart, Oumar Koureissi, and Camian Shell—recently played for their teams, though the allegations involve the 2023-24 season. Fifteen defendants played for NCAA Division I schools during the 2024-25 season, five played in 2023-24, and former NBA player Antonio Blakeney participated in the Chinese Basketball Association in 2022-23.

Authorities said nearly $200,000 in bribes and winnings from two rigged CBA games were stored in Blakeney’s Florida locker after the 2022-23 season. One fixer reassured another by texting, “There are no guarantees in this world but death, taxes, and Chinese basketball.”

The case highlights ongoing concerns over the impact of legalized sports betting and the lengths some individuals will go to manipulate games, prompting continued federal scrutiny and NCAA investigations.

#Global News #Sports News