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Federal prosecutors in Philadelphia have unsealed criminal charges in what they say was a years-long, international scheme to rig NCAA Division I men’s basketball games, and even some pro games in China, all to make money through illegal sports betting.
Speaking at a news conference, David Metcalf, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, said the case involves “the criminal corruption of collegiate athletics” and charged that 26 defendants were behind game-fixing operations in the U.S. and overseas. Stressing the broader significance of the allegations, Metcalf said: “When criminals pollute the purity of sports by manipulating competition, it doesn’t just imperil the integrity of sports betting markets. It imperils the integrity of sport itself and everything that sports represent to us.”

According to the indictment filed in federal court and reviewed by ReadWrite, the defendants are charged with violations including bribery in sporting contests, wire fraud, conspiracy, and aiding and abetting. Prosecutors stress that the charges are only allegations, and that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they’re proven guilty. The case, officially titled United States v. Smith et al., was filed on January 14, 2026.
NCAA basketball point shaving scandal allegedly originates in China
The government says the whole scheme started back in 2022 in the Chinese Basketball Association and then later spread into U.S. college basketball. The indictment describes how professional bettors Marves Fairley and Shane Hennen recruited former NBA and LSU star Antonio Blakeney, who was then playing for the Jiangsu Dragons in China, to underperform in games so betting lines could be exploited.
One example cited in the indictment is a March 6, 2023 game between Jiangsu and Guangdong. Blakeney, who prosecutors say averaged more than 32 points per game that season, scored just 11 as Guangdong covered the point spread and the bettors allegedly won large wagers.
After another fixed game on March 15, 2023, Hennen later reassured a co-conspirator in a text message: “Nothing gu[a]rantee[d] in this world but death[,] taxes[,] and Chinese basketball.”
Prosecutors say that after making money off fixed games in China, the same group turned its attention to U.S. college basketball during the 2023–24 and 2024–25 seasons. According to the indictment, fixers including Jalen Smith, Marves Fairley, Shane Hennen, Roderick Winkler, and Alberto Laureano, brought in NCAA players and paid them to deliberately play badly so their teams wouldn’t cover the betting spread.
The indictment also says those bribes usually ran between $10,000 and $30,000 per game, and that the group used FaceTime calls, burner phones, and proxy bettors to try to hide what they were doing. In total, prosecutors allege that more than 39 players on more than 17 NCAA Division I men’s teams fixed or attempted to fix over 29 games, with wagers totaling millions of dollars and players receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes.
Detailed examples in the charging document include alleged fixed games involving Nicholls State, Tulane, St. Louis, Fordham, Buffalo, and DePaul, among others.
NCAA response
The NCAA said the federal case aligns with integrity concerns it has been tracking internally. In a statement, NCAA President Charlie Baker said: “Protecting competition integrity is of the utmost importance for the NCAA. We are thankful for law enforcement agencies working to detect and combat integrity issues and match manipulation in college sports.”

NCAA President Baker issues statement regarding sports betting indictments in college athletics, calls on remaining states to ban risky bets. https://t.co/52OPglMTAb
— NCAA News (@NCAA_PR) January 15, 2026

The NCAA says it has opened investigations into about 40 student-athletes at 20 different schools over the past year. So far, 11 players from seven schools have been permanently ruled ineligible for betting on their own games, sharing inside information, or being involved in game manipulation. An additional 13 athletes from eight schools were found to have failed to cooperate and are no longer competing.
The association again urged states and regulators to eliminate college prop bets, warning they create integrity risks and predatory bettors.
Connection to a wider basketball betting crackdown
The college basketball case is unfolding against the backdrop of a broader focus on sports-betting integrity in professional basketball. In recent months, a series of high-profile NBA-related betting investigations has put the spotlight on suspicious wagering activity linked to players like Damon Jones, Chauncey Billups, and Terry Rozier. While those cases are separate, they’ve added to growing worries among regulators and leagues that the fast growth of legalized sports gambling has made athletes and games more vulnerable to being manipulated.
Prosecutors in the Philadelphia case made clear they are not accusing any NBA players of being part of the NCAA scheme, but officials and league executives say the broader pattern shows just how big the risk has become.
The defendants in United States v. Smith et al. are expected to make their first appearances in federal court in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. If they’re convicted, they could face long prison sentences and the loss of any money tied to the alleged betting operation.
As Metcalf warned when announcing the case: “At this stage, these are just allegations. Every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty, beyond a reasonable doubt, in a court of law.”
Featured image: Canva / NCAA
The post Federal prosecutors unseal sweeping NCAA basketball illegal game-fixing scheme tied to China appeared first on ReadWrite.

The York Regional Police Organized Enforcement Bureau in Ontario, working alongside the South Simcoe Police Service, has charged a former Toronto police officer and another suspect in connection with an ongoing gambling extortion investigation involving organized crime.
According to a press release from the York Regional Police, police searched a residence in Toronto, which led to Thomas Phippard being charged in this case on Monday (January 12). The 47-year-old was charged with three counts of extortion.
The following day, police executed a search warrant at a property in Barrie, in which a 55-year-old named John Madeley was charged with several offences, including breach of trust, possession of a firearm at an unauthorized place and two counts of possession of prohibited devices.
Even more remarkable was the fact that Madeley was a former Toronto Police officer.
Organized crime group was responsible for illegal gaming and betting activities
Between January 2024 and October 2025, both Phippard and Madeley were working with an organized crime group that was responsible for illegal gambling and betting activities.
The victims placed bets on illegal gaming websites, and if they lost, they were forced to settle any debts with large sums of cash.
Both Phippard and Madeley used threats of violence in order to collect the cash from the victims.
Suspects John Madeley and Thomas Phippard. Credit: CTV News Toronto screengrab / York Regional Police
Madeley had only retired from active duty in the Toronto Police Force less than 12 months ago, finishing his 28 years of service on April 1, 2025.
Given that this extortion ring stretches back two years, and perhaps beyond, the 55-year-old was working alongside Phippard while still serving as a constable in the department.
Following the arrests of both men, many more victims could come to light regarding their experiences in this extortion investigation, with the full picture of events not yet determined by the York Regional Police Organized Enforcement Bureau.
Featured Image: York Regional Police press release
The post Former Toronto police officer and Barrie man charged in Ontario police probe gambling extortion ring appeared first on ReadWrite.

The Social Gaming Leadership Alliance (SGLA) is asking state lawmakers in Maine to reconsider the SP 825 bill which would see Social Plus games banned.
It was back in November 2025 when the term ‘Social Plus’ was coined in a blog written by SGLA’s Managing Director Sean Ostrow as a new term for online sweepstakes game. These are always restricted to players 21+ and can include interactive board, card or casino-style games that are free-to-play.
Now, the alliance says they have submitted testimony on the Maine Senate Paper 825 as they say Social Plus games are a lawful category of free-to-play and freemium online social games with sweepstakes promotions.

Virginia becomes the 5th state to propose a ban on sweepstakes casinos in the 2026 legislative session, joining Maine, Indiana, Florida and Mississippi. Virginia’s proposed sweeps ban is part of the iGaming bill introduced earlier this week. HB 161: https://t.co/SsJ5rUHZs1 pic.twitter.com/QtxWrtkgC9
— Daniel Wallach (@WALLACHLEGAL) January 11, 2026

The SGLA suggests around 50,000 adults throughout the state of Maine use these types of games.
“If the language of SP 825 is passed, the outcome will be sadly predictable – the law-abiding operators will exit the state, but illegal operators will stay and prey on unsuspecting Maine consumers,” said Sean Ostrow, Managing Director of the SGLA.
“Social Plus operators offer real consumer protections that keep minors from playing, that protect consumer data and finances, and that encourage responsible social gameplay.”
SGLA suggests an alternative to banning Social Plus games in Maine
Speaking about their partner operators, SGLA say they all ensure that all Social Plus games are equipped with robust consumer protections, including age and identity verification, responsible social gameplay tools, geolocation, and secure handling of consumer data.
“Critical to this body, but also to us, is our player safety, security and game integrity,” said Lloyd Melnick, Chief Growth Officer at VGW, during the hearing. “We are incredibly proud of the measures and features we have developed.”
The alliance has instead offered an alternative to banning Social plus games, as they have proposed a regulatory framework which they say will generate over $3 million in annual revenue for Maine through player purchase taxes and operator registration fees.
“This proposal would ensure that all operators enforce strict age-verification restrictions to keep people under the age of 21 from participating, protect consumer data and privacy, ensure prizes can be redeemed promptly, provide clear and truthful advertising to adults only, and provide resources to ensure that customers are interacting with Social Plus games responsibly,” Ostrow added.
Featured Image: Via SGLA on X
The post SGLA testifies before Maine lawmakers, urges them not to ban Social Plus games appeared first on ReadWrite.