A college basketball betting investigation is likely heading toward indictments, Sports Illustrated's Pat Forde and Michael Rosenberg report.
Key Takeaways
- The college basketball probe reportedly involves the same gambling ring that Jontay Porter was a part of in 2024.
- The investigation is focused on schools in the South but does include other regions.
- Multiple college basketball games were flagged over the last two years for unusual betting activity.
The federal investigation involves the same gambling ring that former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter was at the center of in 2024, which led to federal charges and a lifetime ban from the NBA.
A source told Forde and Rosenberg that multiple players and programs on a “national scope” are involved, and there will be charges.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania is interviewing NCAA players suspected of fixing games and point-shaving to benefit bettors. The investigation is currently focused on schools in the South, but teams in other regions are also implicated.
College problem
Integrity monitoring firms have flagged multiple college basketball games since 2024. The NCAA is currently investigating players at Temple, Eastern Michigan, New Orleans, and Mississippi Valley State.
Four New Orleans players were suspended last season for gambling-related activities. Two former Fresno State players were reportedly wagering on their player props at daily fantasy sites.
It’s unknown if those schools are tied to the federal investigation, which is reportedly expected to include more than just a handful of programs. SI reported in February that at least nine schools were involved in the probe.
With sports betting expanding to 39 U.S. states since PASPA was overturned in 2018, the NCAA has relaxed some of its gambling policies. However, wagering on, manipulating games, and sharing information is strictly prohibited.
Porter ties
Federal prosecutors already charged five men involved in one of the NBA’s biggest-ever scandals. Porter was found to be manipulating playing time to pay off gambling debts. A group of men was profiting off Porter’s player prop totals.
Long Phi Pham, Mahmud Mollah, Timothy McCormack, and Porter all pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges. SI reported that their plea agreements have been delayed, which is common when defendants are testifying. Porter is scheduled to be sentenced in December.
Shane Hennen, a Las Vegas resident, was reportedly the mastermind behind the gambling ring was arrested earlier this year. During Pham’s plea hearing in November 2024, a judge referred to “several different frauds” committed by at least that defendant.
A 2023 NBA game involving guard Terry Rozier has also been investigated by federal authorities after multiple sportsbooks reported suspicious betting.
