CLEVELAND -- Federal prosecutors announced Thursday that a total of 26 people are being indicted for allegedly scheming to rig NCAA and Chinese Basketball Association games.
Of the defendants named in Thursday's indictment, 15 played basketball for Division 1 NCAA schools as recently as the 2024-25 season. Five others were described by authorities as fixers.
A closer look at the indictment reveals that two of the games investigators targeted for the betting scheme involved Ohio University and Kent State University.
According to the indictment, five of the "fixers" recruited multiple players on the State University of New York at Buffalo men's basketball team to participate in the point-shaving operation starting in February of 2024.
The first fixed game allegedly took place on Feb. 24, 2024, when Buffalo took on Western Michigan. Three players, Shawn Fulcher (named as a defendant), Isaiah Adams (charged elsewhere), and "Person #5," helped ensure that Buffalo failed to cover the first-half spread in the game, according to prosecutors.
Three days later, Buffalo traveled to Kent State to take on the Golden Flashes. Here's how the prosecutors laid out the case:
- Kent State was favored over Buffalo by approximately 8.5 points in the first half. Before this game, the fixers, including defendants JALEN SMITH, MARVIS FAIRLEY, and RODERICK WINKLER, and others acting at their direction, placed wagers with various sportsbooks totaling at least approximately $424,000 on Kent State to cover the first-half spread.
- Kent State outscored Buffalo in the first half by 8 points, 39 to 27, failing to cover the spread, and resulting in the fixers losing most of their bets by one-half point. With the score tied at 27 with 4:40 left to go in the first half of this game, Kent State scored the last 8 points of the half, and Buffalo did not score again. In the last 13 minutes of the first half, defendant SHAWN FULCHER, Isaiah Adams, and Person #5, scored a total of 1 point, missing several shots, including layups and dunks, and committing several turnovers.
One of the "fixers" allegedly delivered $54,000 to the three players on March 2, 2024.
On March 5, Ohio traveled to Buffalo to take on the Bulls. In the indictment, here's how prosecutors explained what happened next:
- The fixers, including defendants MARVES FAIRLEY and SHANE HENNEN, and others acting at their direction, placed wagers with various sportsbooks on Ohio to cover the first-half spread of approximately 5.5 points. To increase the profitability of their scheme, these wagers included "parlays" on this game along with other games that the schemers had fixed by bribing players.
- SHAWN FULCHER, Isaiah ADAMS, and PERSON #5, underperformed in and influenced the first half of the game as they had agreed. Ohio outscored Buffalo 40 to 33 in the first half, covering the spread of approximately 5.5 points, and the fixers won their bets.
As made clear in today's indictment, Ohio University, our tremendous student-athletes, coaches and staff were not involved in any way in the alleged misconduct. However, if requested, we will cooperate with any ongoing investigation of the matter.