More than a dozen NCAA players indicted in gambling scheme
More than a dozen NCAA players indicted in gambling scheme
Updated:
St. Louis forward Bradley Ezewiro (3) dunks the ball during a college basketball game between the George Washington Revolutionaries and the Saint Louis Billikens on Feb. 24, 2024, at Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(NewsNation) — Twenty people, including more than a dozen Division I basketball players, have been indicted in a sweeping federal indictment on charges related to gambling and bribery.
The indictment, released Thursday, covers gambling fraud that prosecutors say happened in NCAA games and in games in the Chinese Basketball Association.
Among the schools where players were allegedly involved are programs including St. Louis University, Tulane University and DePaul University.
In most cases, the indictment alleges the players conspired with gamblers to affect final scores — usually by “shaving” points.
Prosecutors say the scheme involved Marves Fairley and Shane Hennen, whom authorities refer to as high-stakes gamblers who also sold betting advice to others. The men allegedly approached former Chicago Bulls player Antonio Blakeney, who was playing in China in 2022. They allegedly convinced Blakeney to shave points in games, and Blakeney is accused of helping recruit other players in China and at U.S. colleges to take part in similar schemes.
Regarding U.S. games, prosecutors allege the involvement of Jalen Smith and Roderick Winkler, who trained young basketball players, and Alberto Laureano, a former NCAA basketball player. All three men are accused of getting U.S. college players involved in the scheme.
In one case, the scheme appeared to have failed. Prosecutors say Smith and Blakeney attempted to recruit La Salle University players for a game against St. Bonaventure University. Bets made by Fairley and Hennen, nearing a quarter-million dollars, were placed on St. Bonaventure to cover the first half spread, prosecutors allege. However, La Salle covered the spread. No La Salle players were listed in the indictment.
Those listed in the indictment include:
- Oumar Koureissi, Nicholls State University
- Kevin Cross, Tulane University
- Unnamed players at Northwestern State University
- Bradley Ezewiro, St. Louis University
- Jalen Terry and Da’Sean Nelson, DePaul University and Eastern Michigan University
- Arlando Arnold, University of Southern Mississippi
- Simeon Cottle and Demond Robinson, Kennesaw State University
- An unnamed player at Coppin State University
- Carlos Hart, University of New Orleans
- Airion Simmons, Abilene Christian University
- Shawn Fulcher, Alabama State University
- Dyquavion Short and Cedquavious Hunter, University of New Orleans
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