NCAA Basketball Betting Scheme Fixer Sentenced to Six Years

A man charged with rigging college basketball games as part of an elaborate point-fixing scheme that generated millions was sentenced to six years in federal prison, prosecutors in Pennsylvania announced Tuesday. The sentence marks the first penalty handed down in an investigation that has revealed a widespread network of professional gamblers and college basketball players profiting from fixed games.

Prosecutors stated that Jalen Smith, 30, played a central role in fixing games during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 NCAA Division I basketball seasons. He allegedly placed bets and recruited players with promises of substantial payments for intentionally underperforming. Bettors would then wager against these players' teams, defrauding sportsbooks and other gamblers, according to authorities. Smith pleaded guilty earlier this year to bribery and wire fraud charges.

The sentencing occurs as the sports betting landscape continues to expand nationwide, with billions wagered legally and illegally on games. Law enforcement, regulators, and sports leagues have faced challenges in keeping pace with the growing popularity of gambling in both collegiate and professional sports.

"Today's sentencing sends a clear message: Those who exploit professional and collegiate athletes for personal gain will be held accountable," said Wayne A. Jacobs, special agent in charge of the FBI's Philadelphia office. "This conduct does more than harm individual athletes. It undermines the integrity of sports and the trust placed in fair competition."

The point-shaving scheme involved nearly 30 NCAA basketball games and included schools such as DePaul University, State University of New York at Buffalo, and Tulane University, among others. Prosecutors accused Smith and at least 26 other defendants of wagering millions of dollars and paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes to players. Payments to players typically ranged from $10,000 to $30,000 per game, according to an indictment.

Smith and others reportedly targeted players considered underdogs, encouraging them to underperform to guarantee specific point spreads. These players were seen as prime targets because the offered payments exceeded potential income from legitimate sponsorships, prosecutors said. Smith, from Charlotte, North Carolina, had previously trained and developed local basketball players for professional scouting combines, utilizing these connections within the scheme.

The point-shaving scheme resulted in more than $3 million in fraudulent wagers. Smith, who also pleaded guilty to a separate felony gun possession charge, was ordered to pay $1.1 million in restitution, representing the costs incurred by gambling platforms due to the scheme. In addition to fixers who recruited players and placed bets, the charges have targeted over a dozen former college basketball players and four players active with their college teams last season.