Federal prosecutors have charged 17 basketball players, including former All-American Antonio Blakeney, as part of a sweeping indictment involving a major point-shaving scheme.
Unsealed in Philadelphia in 2026, the indictment names 20 defendants in total who are accused of conspiring to fix games in both the NCAA and the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) to defraud sportsbooks. The alleged conspiracy operated from September 2022 to February 2025, involving fixers who placed large wagers on games where they had bribed players to ensure specific outcomes.
As per ABC News, the scheme originated with game-fixing in the CBA before expanding to the NCAA Division I men’s basketball. Prosecutors allege that fixers named Shane Hennen and Marves Fairley recruited players, including former NBA player Antonio Blakeney, to manipulate results.
College athletes were offered bribes ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 per game to underperform. The fixers would place bets against the compromised teams, profiting from the deliberate failures by the players to meet performance expectations.
The investigation has implicated athletes from multiple universities, including the University of New Orleans, Arizona State, and Mississippi Valley State, in this matter. The NCAA had permanently banned several players, including Cedquavious Hunter, Dyquavian Short, and Jamond Vincent, after this incident.
In an interview with Good Morning America, Hunter admitted that he accepted money to take care of his child and intentionally missed shots to ensure his team did not cover the spread.
Betting Scandals Have Wrecked The NBA As Well
In October 2025, federal authorities arrested Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier in a massive sweep. The FBI probe uncovered two separate criminal schemes, with Billups being charged with involvement in high-stakes illegal poker games run by organized crime families and Rozier facing accusations of directly compromising NBA games. The arrests shocked the league and led to immediate administrative leave for both.
The prosecutors alleged that Rozier faked an injury during a March 2023 game so that his performance stats hit under for the bettors. Associates reportedly placed large wagers based on this insider tip.
Meanwhile, Billups was accused of working with Mafia ties to lure wealthy victims into poker games. These games allegedly used rigged shuffling machines and hidden cameras to cheat players. The scandals forced the league to confront severe questions about integrity in the gambling era.
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