{"id":2538363,"date":"2026-01-15T20:48:02","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T01:48:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/over-two-dozen-charged-in-massive-scheme-to-rig-college-basketball-games-4\/"},"modified":"2026-01-15T20:49:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T01:49:11","slug":"over-two-dozen-charged-in-massive-scheme-to-rig-college-basketball-games-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/over-two-dozen-charged-in-massive-scheme-to-rig-college-basketball-games-4\/","title":{"rendered":"Over two dozen charged in &#8216;massive scheme&#8217; to rig college basketball games"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fover-two-dozen-charged-in-massive-scheme-to-rig-college-basketball-games-4%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2538363&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Federal prosecutors charged 26 people in a &#8220;massive,&#8221; international point\u2011shaving scheme that recruited NCAA Division I men&#8217;s basketball players to intentionally underperform between September 2022 and Febuary 2024. Gambblers placed bets against point spreads and paid players tens of thousands of dollars to ensure outcomes favored their wagers. The scheme began fixing games in the Chinese Basketball Association-allegedly involving former NBA player Antonio Blakeney and associates-then shifted to U.S. college games, using recruiters, trainers, alumni, and other well\u2011connected intermediaries to enlist players. Games involving many programs were implicated, including Butler, DePaul, Georgetown, St. John&#8217;s, Tulane, Florida Atlantic, and others. U.S. Attorney David Metcalf called it an international criminal conspiracy, and NCAA President Charlie Baker said the association was aware and investigating most of the teams named. The announcement follows prior NCAA bans of players for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/over-two-dozen-charged-in-massive-scheme-to-rig-college-basketball-games-2\/\" title=\"Over two ... in &#039;... ...&#039; to rig ... ...\">sports\u2011betting-related game manipulation<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Over two dozen charged in &lsquo;massive scheme&rsquo; to rig college basketball games<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2474376\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4417351\/federal-prosecutor-minnesota-fraud-scandal-resigns-us-attorney-office\/\">Federal prosecutors<\/a> charged 26 people in a massive college basketball point-shaving scheme Thursday, which involved numerous players and teams from <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ncaa\/\">NCAA<\/a> Division I men&rsquo;s basketball.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/college-basketball\/\">College basketball <\/a>players were bribed to throw games and enrich sports gamblers during a recent period from September 2022 to February of last year.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4420895\/new-york-city-sues-motoclick-stealing-money\/\">New York City sues food delivery app for &#8216;stealing&#8217; money from workers<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/business\/4420564\/judge-declines-paramount-request-expedite-warner-bros-lawsuit\/\">Judge declines Paramount request to expedite Warner Bros. lawsuit<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/immigration\/4420345\/democrat-led-states-push-anti-ice-bills-may-violate-supremacy-clause\/\">Democrat-led states push anti-ICE bills that may violate supremacy clause<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, David Metcalf, described the scheme as &ldquo;massive&rdquo; and an &ldquo;international criminal conspiracy.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It enveloped the world of college basketball,&rdquo; he said at a news conference in Philadelphia.<\/p>\n<p>The gamblers often placed bets and then recruited players with the promise of sums in the tens of thousands if they could purposely underperform in their games. If the players properly underperformed, the gamblers would win their bets, often against the teams of the bribed players.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;For example, if a team was favored to lose by 4 points, the player would receive a bribe to underperform so that his team would lose by more than that,&rdquo; Metcalf said.<\/p>\n<p>Several prominent schools&rsquo; teams games were involved in the scheme: Abilene Christian, Alabama State, Butler,&nbsp;DePaul, Duquesne, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Fordham, Georgetown,&nbsp;Kennesaw State, Kent State, La Salle, McNeese State, Nicholls State, Ohio University, St. Louis University, St. John&rsquo;s, SUNY Buffalo, Tulane, and Western Michigan University.<\/p>\n<p>The betting scheme began with bets placed on Chinese Basketball Association games. Former Chicago Bulls player Antonio Blakeney allegedly colluded with Marvis Fairley and Shane Hennen to fix CBA games.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The scheme proved lucrative,&rdquo; Metcalf said. &ldquo;Mr. Hennen, we allege, texted a confederate that the only things certain in life were &lsquo;death, taxes, and Chinese basketball.&#8217;&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The betting scheme was then moved to the United States, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/over-two-dozen-charged-in-massive-scheme-to-rig-college-basketball-games-3\/\" title=\"Over two ... in &#039;... ...&#039; to rig ... ...\">conspirators began recruiting college basketball players<\/a> to participate.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;They picked these men because they were well connected in the world of college basketball,&rdquo; Metcalf said. &ldquo;They knew the players, many of them were players themselves, they were alumni, they were trainers, they were recruiters, they were networkers, they were people of influence, and because of that influence, they added gravitas and legitimacy to the scheme.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>NCAA President Charlie Baker was aware of the charges, and the organization had already investigated, or was investigating, almost all the teams named.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3453277\/rand-paul-introduces-collegiate-sports-integrity-act\/\">RAND PAUL INTRODUCES THE COLLEGIATE SPORTS INTEGRITY ACT IN SENATE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The pattern of <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >college basketball game integrity conduct revealed<\/a> by law enforcement today is not entirely new information to the NCAA,&rdquo; Baker&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ncaa.org\/news\/2026\/1\/15\/media-center-ncaa-president-baker-issues-statement-regarding-sports-betting-indictments-in-college-athletics-calls-on-remaining-states-to-ban-risky-bets.aspx\">said in a statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The college basketball betting scheme comes after the NCAA banned three prominent Division 1 basketball players for participating in &ldquo;sports-betting related game manipulation.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>26 charged in college basketball point-shaving<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2538364,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP23172446222335-e1764729741980.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[32305,33310,71072,71077,32918],"class_list":["post-2538363","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-college-basketball","tag-criminal-charges","tag-match-fixing","tag-ncaa-scandal","tag-sports-betting"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP23172446222335-e1764729741980.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2538363","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2538363"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2538363\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2538367,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2538363\/revisions\/2538367"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2538364"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2538363"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2538363"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2538363"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}