Federal prosecutors in Philadelphia have indicted 26 individuals, including 20 college basketball players, for their alleged roles in a widespread point-shaving conspiracy affecting at least 29 Division I games across 17 schools. The scheme, which began in 2022 and targeted mostly low- and mid-major programs, involved bribing players to manipulate game outcomes for gambling profits totaling millions of dollars. Five charged players were active on rosters this season until suspensions followed the announcement.
The 70-page indictment, unsealed on January 15, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, details a gambling ring orchestrated by figures like Shane Hennen and Marves Fairley, who also face charges in related NBA schemes. Prosecutors allege the group recruited at least 39 players from schools including DePaul, Tulane, Kennesaw State, Fordham, Saint Louis, La Salle, Eastern Michigan, Buffalo, Southern Mississippi, North Carolina A&T, Coppin State, Robert Morris, New Orleans, Northwestern State, Nicholls State, Alabama State, and Texas Southern. Players received payments ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 per game to underperform, enabling bets on spreads, particularly in first halves.
The operation started in 2022 when Hennen and Fairley allegedly paid former NBA player Antonio Blakeney $200,000 to fix games for the Jiangsu Dragons in China's basketball league. By the 2023-24 college season, it expanded to U.S. games, with wagers like $424,000 on Kent State covering a spread against Buffalo and $124,000 on Butler versus DePaul. A notable example occurred in February 2024 during DePaul's halftime against Georgetown, where four players allegedly ensured a 13-point deficit for a $27,000 bet, earning $40,000 in return.
U.S. Attorney David Metcalf described the plot as 'the corruption of college sports,' emphasizing its threat to fair play. 'There is a substantial interest, public interest, in the integrity of sports,' Metcalf said. Robert Morris forward Markeese Hastings, charged with sports bribery, texted contacts after a fixed game: 'We might as well do the next one too . . . . (this) was too easy.'
Five players charged remain active: Kennesaw State's Simeon Cottle (suspended, leading scorer), Eastern Michigan's Carlos Hart (suspended), Delaware State's Camian Shell, Texas Southern's Oumar Koureissi (removed), and Temple's Corey 'CJ' Hines. Schools issued statements confirming actions, with Kennesaw State noting Cottle's indefinite suspension. The NCAA launched new investigations, with enforcement head Jon Duncan stating, 'These names were familiar to us.'
Not all attempts succeeded; bets failed in games involving La Salle, Southern Miss, and Coppin State due to unexpected performances. The case highlights gambling's risks post-legalization, prompting NCAA calls for prop bet bans. Metcalf distinguished it from insider trading cases, noting, 'This is a different criminal scheme' focused on controlling outcomes.
