North Carolina Man Pleads Guilty in Wide-Ranging NCAA Basketball Point-Shaving Case
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A North Carolina basketball trainer admitted Monday to orchestrating a multimillion-dollar point-shaving ring that prosecutors say corrupted dozens of NCAA Division I games.
Jalen Smith, of Charlotte, pleaded guilty in federal court in Philadelphia to one count each of wire fraud and bribery. He is the first of 26 defendants to enter a plea in the case, which surfaced days before the start of March Madness.
Federal investigators contend Smith leveraged his ties to amateur players, developed through local scouting combines, to recruit athletes willing to intentionally underperform. The conspiracy allegedly spanned the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, affecting more than 29 games at 17 Division I programs.
According to court filings, participating players typically received between $10,000 and $30,000 per game. Prosecutors said Smith personally delivered payments, traveling in one instance to Louisiana with about $32,000 for two players.
The betting operation began overseas with Chinese Basketball Association contests in 2023 before moving into the U.S. college ranks, authorities said. Overall, more than 39 players and at least 40 schools were targeted, including Tulane and DePaul.
Smith also admitted to possessing a loaded handgun that FBI agents found during a 2023 search of his Charlotte residence. A previous drug conviction made firearm ownership illegal for him.
Sentencing has not been scheduled. The investigation continues against the remaining defendants.
Source: Hoops Wire
