Dozens of individuals have been indicted by federal authorities over a scheme to rig college basketball games, both here in the United States and in China.
According to The Hill, the federal indictment, filed in Philadelphia, cites charges of “bribery in sporting contest” and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, naming more than 20 people who authorities say fixed college basketball game outcomes to benefit bettors.
Prosecutors alleges that over a period of three years, the defendants recruited players to ensure a particular team did not cover the spread, or placed wagers on certain outcomes based on the agreements.
CBS News reported that 17 college basketball players have been charged in the scheme.
"In placing these wagers on games they had fixed, the defendants defrauded sportsbooks, as well as individual sports bettors, who were all unaware that the defendants had corruptly manipulated the outcome of these games that should have been decided fairly, based on genuine competition and the best efforts of the players," the indictment said.
Two of the players named in the indictment, Cedquavious Hunter and Dequavion Short, both of New Orleans, were sanctioned in November by the NCAA for allegedly fixing games.
The scheme reportedly began in the Chinese Basketball Association as early as 2022, with payment of up to $20,000 to those athletes who participated.
The indictment estimates that the group of fixers conspired with a total of 39 players on 17 different D-I teams across nearly 29 NCAA games.
The fixers places millions of dollars in wagers, according to court documents, and paid out hundreds of thousands in profits to athletes who participated.
