Basketball Scandal: 20 Charged in Global Bet-Rigging Scheme

Federal prosecutors charge 20 individuals, including former basketball players and sports-betting influencers, for rigging bets on college and Chinese professional basketball games. The scheme, starting in 2022, involved bribing players to underperform, leveraging insider information, and utilizing proliferated legalized sports betting platforms to evade detection.

In a major development exposing the dark side of sports betting, federal prosecutors in Pennsylvania have charged 20 individuals, including former basketball players, with manipulating outcomes in college and Chinese professional basketball games.

The indictment, which spans 70 pages, reveals a complex network that began in 2022 and expanded to U.S. college basketball during the 2023-2024 season. Accused of bribing players to underperform, the scheme exploited the surge in legalized sports betting to avoid detection.

Notably, sports-betting influencers Shane Hennen and Marves Fairley face charges alongside NBA personalities like Miami Heat's Terry Rozier. The indictment also lists high-profile figures such as Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, highlighting the extensive reach and sophistication of the alleged scheme.

(With inputs from agencies.)