Ask Onix
Prosecutors unveil sweeping game-fixing allegations
Federal prosecutors in the United States have charged 26 individuals in a sprawling scheme that allegedly manipulated outcomes of college and professional basketball games for illegal gambling profits. The indictment, announced Thursday, accuses the group of influencing 29 NCAA men's basketball games and two Chinese Basketball Association contests between September 2022 and February 2025.
Scope and methods of the scheme
According to U.S. Attorney David Metcalf, the operation targeted 39 players across 17 NCAA teams, with fixers placing bets against the players' own teams after bribing them to underperform. Bribes reportedly ranged from $10,000 to $30,000 per game, though Metcalf noted that the strategy did not always succeed.
"In basketball, one player can significantly sway a game in ways that aren't possible in other sports-but it's not foolproof," Metcalf told reporters. "Still, the scheme proved highly lucrative overall."
NCAA and university responses
NCAA President Charlie Baker stated that the organization has either completed or launched investigations into nearly all the teams named in the indictment. Baker acknowledged that the revelations aligned with prior concerns about game integrity in college basketball.
Among the 20 universities linked to the allegations are Abilene Christian, Alabama State, Butler, DePaul, Duquesne, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Fordham, Georgetown, Kennesaw State, Kent State, La Salle, McNeese State, Nicholls State, Ohio University, St. Louis University, St. John's, SUNY Buffalo, Tulane, and Western Michigan.
Several schools, including Tulane and Kent State, clarified that their inclusion stemmed from allegations involving opponents rather than their own programs. Tulane confirmed cooperation with authorities following charges against a former student-athlete, while Kent State attributed its mention to games played against implicated teams.
Origins and key figures
Prosecutors allege the scheme originated when former Chicago Bulls player Antonio Blakeney partnered with professional bettors Shane Hennen and Marves Fairley to fix Chinese Basketball Association games before expanding to the U.S. Metcalf described the trio as influential figures within college basketball circles, leveraging connections as former players, recruiters, and trainers to lend credibility to the operation.
Hennen and Fairley were also named in a separate FBI investigation into illegal sports betting and mafia-linked poker games, which included NBA figures like Miami Heat player Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups. Both have denied wrongdoing.
Broader context of sports betting crackdowns
The indictment follows a recent FBI announcement probing two additional illegal betting schemes, underscoring heightened scrutiny of sports gambling integrity. Authorities have not yet disclosed whether further charges are expected.
