Shockwaves in College Hoops: 15 Ex-NCAA Stars Allegedly Caught in Game-Rigging Scandal

It’s not every day you see a massive federal indictment drop like this, shaking the very foundation of college basketball and beyond. Twenty individuals are now under the microscope, including fifteen recent Division 1 NCAA players, accused of being tangled in a web of game-fixing across NCAA and the Chinese Basketball Association circuits. What really grabs my attention? The fact that these players, some fresh off the college hardwood as recent as the 2024-25 season, allegedly accepted bribes ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 to throw games. Behind the scenes, a group described as “fixers” — trainers, former coaches, and gamblers — are said to have orchestrated the scheme, exploiting the very athletes meant to light up the court with honest competition. This indictment arrives on the heels of NCAA’s ramped-up crackdown on gambling-related misconduct, which has already led to lifetime bans and ongoing investigations involving dozens of players. Honestly, it’s a dark twist on a game millions love, but it also highlights just how deep the tentacles of illegal gambling have slithered into basketball. For anyone following the intersection of sports, law, and integrity, this story is a tough pill to swallow—and a crucial one to understand. LEARN MORE

PHILADELPHIA — Federal prosecutors charged 20 people, including 15 former college basketball players, in what they called a betting scheme to rig NCAA and Chinese Basketball Association games.

Of the defendants, 15 played basketball for Division 1 NCAA schools as recently as the 2024-25 season.

The other five defendants were described by authorities as fixers.

They include two men who prosecutors say worked in the training and development of basketball players. Another was a trainer and former coach, one was a former NCAA player and two were described as gamblers, influencers and sports handicappers.

The charges, filed in federal court in Philadelphia, include wire fraud.

In the 70-page indictment, authorities say the fixers recruited the college basketball players with “bribe payments” usually ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 per game.

The indictment follows a series of NCAA investigations that led to at least 10 players receiving lifetime bans this year for bets that sometimes involved their own teams and their own performances. And the NCAA has said that at least 30 players have been investigated over gambling allegations.

More than 30 people also were charged in last year’s sprawling federal takedown of illegal gambling operations linked to professional basketball.