A federal indictment unsealed today in Pennsylvania charges 20 people in a point-shaving conspiracy. Prosecutors accuse the group of trying to fix college basketball games to influence sports betting.
In point-shaving, players manipulate the final score of a game to help bettors win. According to the indictment, the group allegedly fixed or attempted to fix 29 college basketball games involving 39 NCAA Division I players from 17 different teams.
Prosecutors say the operation hurt the fairness of college sports and cheated betting companies. U.S. Attorney David Metcalf called the conspiracy "historic" and a "pretty pervasive corruption scheme."
Fifteen of the 20 people charged were active college basketball players during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons. Four of the athletes played for their current teams as recently as last week. However, court records show the charges against three of those players involve games at their previous schools. The fourth player’s charges involve an earlier season.
Investigators identified several universities affected by the scheme, including Western Michigan, Butler, St. John's, Tulane, Georgetown, and DePaul. Organizers allegedly offered student-athletes bribes ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 to influence game outcomes. The indictment says the scheme reached across the entire country.
The operation reportedly began in September 2022. According to the indictment, the group initially targeted the Chinese Basketball Association before expanding into American college sports. Authorities already knew some of the people involved. The indictment notes that the NCAA had already penalized two of the athletes in November for fixing games in New Orleans.
The federal charges come as the NCAA conducts its own internal reviews. NCAA President Charlie Baker announced that the organization’s investigators are currently looking into approximately 40 players from 20 different schools for possible game-fixing or illegal betting.
The investigation has also uncovered links to professional basketball. Two of the defendants face separate federal charges in New York for gambling schemes involving the NBA. Additionally, prosecutors are pursuing a case against a former professional player in another court.
