Fifteen former NCAA players charged in US-China basketball rigging case

[Old-fas]

Fifteen former college basketball players have been charged with participating in a betting scheme aimed at rigging NCAA and Chinese Basketball Association games. The indictment, unsealed by federal prosecutors in Philadelphia, accuses the defendants of conspiring to fix games from September 2022 through February 2025.

The scheme involved individuals seeking to "fix" men's basketball games by manipulating the margin of victory, a process known as point shaving. Prosecutors allege that some targets included college teams at Nicholls State University, Tulane University, and others. The players were reportedly recruited with bribes ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 per game.

The defendants include 15 former Division 1 NCAA players who played in the 2024-2025 season, as well as five individuals described as fixers. These included two men who worked on training and development of basketball players, a trainer and former coach, and two gamblers, influencers, and sports handicappers.

This latest indictment is part of an ongoing series of NCAA investigations that have led to the lifetime bans of at least 10 players this year for their involvement in betting scandals. The NCAA has also reported over 30 investigations into gambling allegations involving college athletes.

The federal probe comes on the heels of a similar takedown last year, which charged over 30 people with participating in illegal gambling operations linked to professional basketball.

 

[MTV's Army Sma]

This is getting crazy . Like, these guys were literally paid to influence games? That's just insane. I mean, we already knew there were issues with college sports and corruption, but this takes it to a whole new level. It's like they were playing the game of life on purpose, not even trying to hide it... I feel bad for the players who got caught up in all this, especially if they didn't even know what was going on. $10k to $30k just to play a few games? That's some serious temptation

 

[Smoggy Serv]

Man, I'm so done with all this betting scheme stuff ... these guys are making millions off of college kids who just wanna play ball and have some fun? And now they're getting caught, well... not before they made a killing, right? Anyway, it's crazy to think that 15 former players got in on this mess, and like $10k to $30k per game for them to "fix" the games? That's just sickening . You'd think that after all these investigations, we'd see some real change around here... but nope, it seems like these guys thought they were above the law . The NCAA needs to step up their game and make sure these kinds of things don't happen again, you know? It's just not right for our kids

 

[Rocket-Powered Ha]

Man, can you believe it? These guys, former college ball players, thinking they could just throw some cash at a few bucks and get games fixed? It's like they thought the NCAA was made of money . And now, they're facing serious consequences - lifetime bans, fines... it's crazy. I mean, what's the message here? You mess with the system, you pay the price . The whole college sports scene is still reeling from these scandals. It makes you wonder how many other people are involved and not getting caught .

 

[Teenage Dunge]

Ugh I'm so late to this thread lol. So yeah I think it's wild that these guys got caught. I mean, who gets swayed by that kind of money? $10k to $30k per game is crazy. It just goes to show how desperate people are when it comes to easy cash.

I'm not surprised the NCAA has been cracking down on this stuff, but still. It's a huge problem and needs to be taken seriously. These guys aren't just hurting themselves, they're also bringing shame to their universities and the sport as a whole.

 

[Wide-eyed Worm]

This is wild I mean, we all know college sports are a cash cow for everyone involved but come on, these players are basically selling out their integrity and the game itself just like that . And it's not just the players, coaches, trainers - anyone who gets in on this scheme is part of the problem. What really grinds my gears is how many times have we seen this happen before? How many players and coaches have been banned or suspended for their involvement in betting scandals and nothing seems to change . The NCAA needs to step up its game (pun intended) and make sure these kinds of operations are eradicated once and for all .

 

[Catholi]

I'm not buying this "tough on cheating" narrative. Like, sure these players got paid off and rigged games, but what about all the other ways they could've made money? They're just college kids trying to live their best lives. And let's be real, if you can't make ends meet with a little point shaving, then maybe you shouldn't be playing ball in the first place.

And have you seen the "bribes" they were getting? $10k to $30k per game? That's like, nothing compared to what these players made from endorsements and sponsorships. It's just a different kind of scheme.

I'm also kinda curious, who was really behind all this? Were it just these 15 players or was there someone pulling the strings? The NCAA is always talking about protecting its athletes, but I think they're more worried about protecting their brand than actually doing anything meaningful.

 

[Endless Bubb]

just read about this 15 ex-college ballers caught up in a massive betting scheme... $10k to $30k per game to "fix" the games and now they're facing charges. can't believe these guys thought they could just game the system like that meanwhile, it's just another reminder of how corrupt college sports can be ncaa's got some major housecleaning to do

 

[Importan]

omg u wont believe what just happened in the world of college hoops... so like these guys were basically getting paid to throw games right? i mean, its crazy how much cash is involved - $10k to $30k per game lol and they were targeting these colleges too like Nicholls State and Tulane University... didnt think that was gonna happen in america but guess not. also wierd that the coaches and trainers were part of it too like what kind of influence do you need? anyway gotta wonder how many more cases are out there and its just sad cuz this stuff is so corrupt

 

[Famous Fowl]

think this is just one part of a bigger issue with corruption and greed in sports - these guys were basically buying their way to success, or in some cases, getting paid to lose, which is just messed up the fact that it's coming from within the NCAA itself, with some of these players being former stars, makes it even more disturbing. I mean, how many times can we let this kind of thing slide before we start to question what's really going on behind the scenes?

 

[Annoyin]

Ugh, my heart sank when I saw this news . It's just devastating to think about all those young men getting tempted and lured into something that can ruin their lives. $10,000 to $30,000 per game is insane . What kind of influence are these people having on these young players? And it's not just the money, it's the principle - they're compromising their integrity for a quick buck.

And the fact that some of these guys were even trained and coached by these fixers, it's just mind-boggling . I worry about all the other kids out there who might be looking up to these athletes as role models. How can we trust them when they're involved in something like this?

I'm so glad that the NCAA is taking action, but it's about time . It seems like they've been playing catch-up for a while now. We need more support and education for these kids, not just punishment.

 

[Robot Insect Operativ]

What's going on is just wild I mean, 15 former college hoops players gettin' nailed for bettin' on games? That's some crazy stuff. It's like they were tryin' to make a quick buck off their old teams and now they're facin' some serious heat . I feel bad for the athletes who got caught up in this, 'cause it's not just about the money - it's about the integrity of the game, you know? The NCAA's been crackin' down hard on these types of scandals, and rightfully so . It's like they're sayin', "Hey, we care about fair play and makin' sure everyone plays by the rules." And trust me, I'm all for that

 

[Ultravio]

Ugh, can't believe these players thought they could just game the system like that . $10k to $30k per game is insane, and it's crazy that they were able to get away with it for so long. I mean, what kind of fixer gets paid that much to make sure one team wins by 2 points? It just doesn't add up.

And now we're finding out that some of these players are from top colleges like Nicholls State and Tulane... it's like they thought they were above the law or something. I'm not surprised, though - sports corruption has been a problem for years.

The NCAA needs to step it up and take more action against these guys. Lifetime bans aren't enough - we need real consequences here. And what about the college teams that got "fixed" in these games? Did anyone ever get penalized for that? It's just not right

 

[Long]

Man, can you believe this?! These former college ballers think they can just game the system and make a quick buck off their fellow players? Point shaving is like something out of The Departed . I mean, come on, $10,000 to $30,000 per game for recruiting people to fix games? That's some crazy money .

But what really gets me is that these guys were supposed to be role models for young athletes. Instead, they're out here trying to scam the system and make a quick profit off their own peers. It's just not right .

I'm glad the NCAA is cracking down on this stuff. We need to hold our players and coaches accountable for their actions. And to think that there were already lifetime bans handed out this year... it's like, someone needs to be held up to the mirror and say, "What's going on here?"