Federal prosecutors in the United States have unveiled a major sports betting scandal, charging twenty individuals including fifteen former college basketball players. The alleged conspiracy aimed to rig games in both the NCAA and the Chinese Basketball Association.
Details of the Federal Indictment
The charges were formally filed at a federal court in Philadelphia on Thursday. The 70-page indictment details a scheme where so-called "fixers" recruited NCAA athletes with bribe payments typically between $10,000 and $30,000 per game. Of the fifteen players charged, some competed in Division I basketball as recently as the 2024-25 season.
The other five defendants are identified as organisers of the plot. This group includes two individuals involved in player training and development, a trainer and former coach, a former NCAA player, and two described as gamblers and sports handicappers.
NCAA's Response and Ongoing Integrity Issues
NCAA president Charlie Baker issued a statement acknowledging the serious threat to competition integrity. "Protecting competition integrity is of the utmost importance for the NCAA," Baker said. He confirmed the organisation had prior awareness of the patterns of conduct revealed and has either completed or has open investigations into nearly all the teams mentioned in the indictment.
This case follows a troubling pattern within college sports. Earlier this year, the NCAA handed down lifetime bans to at least ten players for betting violations, some of which involved wagering on their own teams. In total, the governing body has investigated at least 30 players over gambling allegations in recent times.
A Wider Pattern of Gambling-Related Crime
The latest charges are part of a continued crackdown on illegal gambling operations tied to basketball. This prosecution comes just a year after more than 30 people were charged in a separate federal case targeting illegal gambling linked to professional basketball.
The charges filed this week include wire fraud, highlighting the serious federal nature of the alleged crimes. The case underscores the persistent challenges sports organisations face in safeguarding the integrity of competitions from the influence of illicit gambling syndicates.
