Inside the NCAA Point-Shaving Scandal: 26 Defendants, 29 Rigged Games, 17 Programs

Federal prosecutors have unsealed one of the largest sports corruption cases in American history—charging 26 individuals in a sprawling point-shaving conspiracy that infected at least 17 NCAA basketball programs, with investigators alleging that a network of gamblers, trainers, and former players manipulated 29 games over three years while laundering millions through offshore betting markets.

The Indictment: A Systemic Failure Exposed

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, led by U.S. Attorney David Metcalf, revealed the charges in January 2026 through the case United States v. Jalen Smith et al. The indictment describes a conspiracy running from September 2022 to February 2025 that fundamentally challenged public assumptions about integrity in collegiate athletics.

Unlike historical scandals such as the 1951 CCNY affair or the 1978 Boston College point-shaving case—which were typically contained to single locker rooms or regional crime syndicates—this investigation exposed a decentralized, transnational enterprise. The charging documents list over 39 involved players, 29 specific games fixed or attempted to be fixed, and millions of dollars in illicit wagers placed across offshore and domestic betting markets.

The FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office spearheaded the investigation, discovering how the conspirators exploited two major structural changes in NCAA history: Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deregulations and the Transfer Portal’s player mobility. By targeting athletes in what prosecutors call the “NIL Gap”—players talented enough to influence betting lines but not famous enough to command lucrative endorsements—the fixers weaponized the economic inequality of college sports.

The Fixers: From Mob Enforcers to Digital Influencers

The conspiracy’s leadership was not the stereotypical mob enforcers of past scandals. The modern fixers utilized encrypted messaging apps, cryptocurrency, and peer-to-peer payment platforms to orchestrate their crimes.

The Chinese Incubator: Origins in the CBA

Before targeting the NCAA, the fixers refined their methodology in the Chinese Basketball Association. The CBA offered a testing ground: a professional league with high betting liquidity in Asian markets, significant time zone differences complicating real-time monitoring, and American import players operating with autonomy from local oversight.

Beginning in September 2022, the fixers targeted Antonio Blakeney, then a star for the Jiangsu Dragons averaging over 30 points per game. His ability to control scoring output made him a “whale” target for point-shaving operations.

Eleven days after that game, fixers bet another $100,000 that the Dragons would lose by more than 15 points. Although Blakeney didn’t play, he reportedly acted as a broker, assuring fixers that a teammate would ensure the loss. The Dragons lost by 41 points, and the teammate was paid $20,000.

“Nothing guaranteed in this world but death, taxes, and Chinese basketball.”
— Shane Hennen, intercepted text message to co-conspirator

At the conclusion of the 2022-23 CBA season, prosecutors allege that Fairley and others delivered a package containing $200,000 in cash to a Florida storage unit belonging to Blakeney — payment for a season’s worth of compromising professional basketball integrity.

How They Targeted NCAA Players

When the conspiracy pivoted to the NCAA in the 2023-24 season, the fixers adapted their strategy. They did not pursue “one-and-done” lottery picks at elite programs who were shielded by massive NIL collectives and professional handlers. Instead, they targeted the “middle class” of Division I basketball — players at mid-major schools or transfers facing financial uncertainty.

The indictment explicitly states that fixers targeted players “for whom the bribe payments would meaningfully supplement, or exceed, the student-athletes’ legitimate opportunities for Name-Image-Likeness compensation.”

The Mechanics: Point-Shaving and First-Half Fixes

The fixes were designed for subtlety. The goal was rarely to throw games outright but to manipulate the margin of victory relative to the betting line — classic point-shaving.

Related guides: Spread Betting Explained · Over/Under Betting Guide · Parlay Betting Guide

Forensic Breakdown: The Compromised Games

The indictment identifies at least 29 games that were fixed or attempted to be fixed. By cross-referencing the indictment with historical box scores and betting line movement, investigators reconstructed the anatomy of specific fixes.

The Accused: Full Roster of Defendants

The Transfer Portal: A Contagion Vector

A critical insight from the defendant roster is the prevalence of transfers. Players like Carlos Hart, Jalen Terry, Da’Sean Nelson, Bradley Ezewiro, and Shawn Fulcher moved between schools during the conspiracy timeline.

The Transfer Portal acted as a contagion vector. A player compromised at School A (like Buffalo) could transfer to School B (like Alabama State) and immediately begin recruiting new teammates. This decentralized the corruption, making it impossible to contain by investigating a single program. The mobility afforded by modern college basketball rules allowed the scheme to spread across 17+ institutions.

The Response: NCAA, Legal, and Legislative

The scandal has triggered responses across institutional, legal, and legislative spheres.

The campaign against prop bets follows clear logic: prop bets (wagers on individual statistics) are the “gateway drug” to match-fixing. It’s easier for a single player to miss shots to hit an “Under 12.5 Points” prop than to manipulate a final score without alerting teammates. The “Fresno Three” case specifically involved players betting on their own stat lines. Understanding how betting expected value works reveals why these prop markets were so attractive to fixers.

Institutional Statements

The universities implicated have largely framed themselves as victims of their own student-athletes.

“We will cooperate fully… neither the university nor current staff are subjects.”
— Tulane University statement

Kennesaw State suspended Simeon Cottle indefinitely following the indictment. Eastern Michigan suspended Carlos Hart, emphasizing that the conduct occurred prior to his enrollment or was concealed. La Salle clarified that the fix attempted against them failed, positioning the university as a target rather than a participant.

The Bigger Picture: A Systemic Vulnerability

The 2024-25 NCAA Point-Shaving Scandal is a watershed moment for American sports. It demonstrates that the integration of legalized gambling into the sports ecosystem has created systemic vulnerabilities that cannot be policed by traditional means.

Three forces converged to create the perfect storm:

The indictment of 26 individuals is likely only the first wave. As “Person #1” through “Person #10” are identified and flipped by prosecutors, the circle of implication will widen. The cynical text message — “Death, taxes, and Chinese basketball” — serves as an epitaph for the era of amateurism. In the new economy of college sports, the fixers discovered, everything and everyone had a price.

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Sources

• U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania — Federal indictment announcement
• NCAA Official Statement — Integrity monitoring and eligibility sanctions