A major point-shaving scandal is about to rock NCAA basketball. According to published reports, prosecutors may soon be issuing indictments in an investigation into point shaving on NCAA games.
According to reporting by Sports Illustrated, federal investigators from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania are moving forward in their probe of point shaving and game fixing in college basketball to the stage of being on the brink of issuing indictments.
A source confirmed to Sports Illustrated that charges are going to be laid. Reportedly, the probe is national in scope, involving five schools: New Orleans, Temple, Eastern Michigan, Mississippi Valley State, and an unnamed school. The NCAA is also investigating the alleged point shaving.
The investigation involves nine specific games that took place over the span of two years. Point shaving in basketball involves players manipulating their performance to the benefit of gamblers. Independent gambling monitoring services flagged the games that are being investigated for suspicious wagering activity.
This manipulation could involve such simple acts as missing a free throw or a jump shot, or failing to pull down a rebound to ensure bettors hit the under on prop bets placed on the game.
In several states, prop wagers on college sports are prohibited for this very reason. The theory is that cash-strapped college athletes might be more susceptible to taking money to fix games than a highly-paid professional.
New Orleans launched an internal investigation of its basketball program in January. At the same time, the NCAA also launched an investigation. By February, the school was taking action, removing four players from the team, none of which currently remain students at the school.
An NCAA investigation of Eastern Michigan's basketball team also began in January. The NCAA requested records of cell phone activity from five people associated with the team. Gambling monitoring services were also flagging two Eastern Michigan games for suspicious activity. They were a December 21 game against Wright State and a January 14 meeting with Central Michigan.
If illegal activity is proven from these point shaving allegations, potential penalties could be ranging from criminal charges to fines and suspensions issued by the NCAA for flagrant rule violations.
This NCAA investigation stems from the gambling scandal that led to the NBA banning Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter in April 2024. Porter pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud after admitting to competitive manipulation in two NBA games.
He faked injuries and took himself out of those two games so that bettors who'd bet the under on his player props would win their wagers. Porter is awaiting sentencing and could be facing prison time.
Fellow NBA player Malik Beasley is under investigation from the same probe due to suspicious betting activity in games involving him during the 2023-24 season.
Charges were laid against Porter and four other people involved in this gambling ring. Timothy McCormack, Mahmud Mollah, and Long Phi “Bruce” Pham all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. All had their sentencing dates pushed back. In court proceedings, this traditionally suggests that they are cooperating with the investigation and may be offering evidence in other investigations.
A fifth defendant, Ammar Awawdeh, indicted for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, is reportedly negotiating a plea deal.
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