Feds indite 26 ppl in basketball scheme

[muskieman]

39+ players across 17 Division I programs fixed or attempted to fix 29+ games.

The scheme ran from September 2022 to February 2025

Prosecutors say from 2023 to 2025, the participants turned their attention to the NCAA, recruiting players and paying bribes between $10,000 and $30,000 per game. According to the indictment, more than 39 players on 17 different teams attempted to fix more than 29 NCAA Division 1 men’s basketball games, including conference tournament contests. The organizers of the alleged scheme made wagers totaling millions of dollars.

Charges include bribery in sporting contests, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and wire fraud.
How the Fixing Worked
Fixers targeted first‑half spreads in mid‑major games.

Players were paid $10k–$30k to miss shots, commit turnovers, or otherwise underperform.

Fixers placed bets across multiple sportsbooks to avoid detection

Players Still Active This Week
Four indicted players played NCAA games within the last few days:

Simeon Cottle (Kennesaw State)

Carlos Hart (Eastern Michigan)

Oumar Koureissi (Texas Southern)

Camian Shell (Delaware State)

How the Scheme Started
Began with CBA games in 2023 where Blakeney allegedly underperformed on purpose.

After success, fixers expanded to NCAA games in 2023–2025.

Schools Implicated
Across all reporting, players came from:

DePaul (multiple players, detailed in CBS Chicago)

Tulane

La Salle

Fordham

Buffalo

Nicholls State

Saint Louis

Kennesaw State

New Orleans (two players previously sanctioned)

Eastern Michigan

Texas Southern

Georgetown, Butler, St. John’s (games allegedly fixed) …and more across 17 total programs

[muskieman]

from Indictment Depaul vs GT



Depal vs Butler





To read the entire indictment
https://www.scribd.com/document/9816410 ... iladelphia

[yellow20xd]

Here's hoping they do some serious time... Dan

[ChitownSteve]

Had the “pleasure” of attending two of the three first half fixed DePaul games. We were at both the March 2, 2024 game against Butler (at the Half Butler 45 DePaul 27) and the March 5, 2024 contest vs. St. John’s (at the Half St. John’s 54 DePaul 28). In the second halves of those two games DePaul outscored Butler 37-36 and trailed St. John’s 50-49.

It appears the DePaul player ringleader in this was Micawber Etienne, who transferred from UCLA to DePaul. He played a mere 180 minutes for the team that season. He was injured and, when available, was a woeful under-performer. His colleagues, Jalen Terry and Da’Sean Nelson saw significant minutes and statistically clearly tanked in the first halves of all three games (Georgetown being the other). In the Georgetown game DePaul trailed at the Half 41-28 and lost 77-76. Terry had zero points at the Half and scored 16 in the 2nd Half.

You may recall DePaul was 3-29 for the 2023-24 season, 0-20 in Big East play, losing to Villanova 58-57 in the Big East Tournament. They were coached by the hapless Tony Stubblefield. Frankly, the 2023-24 had no chemistry, nor leadership and did not seem to possess good character. Coach Stubblefield was lost on the sideline and in the locker room. There is one other DePaul player in the mix, but from what I know, unnamed players apparently cooperated with the widespread investigation and have not yet been named or indicted.

A sad state of affairs. A player from St. Louis University apparently inveigled Etienne and DePaul into this scandal. Embarrassing for DePaul, other schools and NCAA College Basketball.

[longliveskip]

this stuff has been happening forever - see 30 for 30 on the Boston College kid back in late 70's or early 80's. the fact that gambling is now LEGAL pretty much everywhere makes it easier for the feds/law enforcement to actually track.