17 college basketball players charged in widespread point-shaving scheme

PHILADELPHIA, (KYMA, KECY) - A major gambling scandal has rocked college basketball after federal prosecutors charged 17 players in connection with an alleged point-shaving scheme that spanned more than two years.

According to an indictment unsealed Thursday in Philadelphia, the scheme ran from September 2022 through February 2025 and involved fixing games in both NCAA men’s basketball and the Chinese Basketball Association. In total, 20 defendants are named, including players and so-called “fixers” who allegedly orchestrated the operation.

Prosecutors say players accepted bribes to manipulate game outcomes most commonly by underperforming to ensure their teams failed to cover betting spreads in either the first half or the full game. The fixers then placed large wagers on those games through sportsbooks, profiting from the manipulated results.

“The sportsbooks would not have paid out those wagers had they known that the defendants fixed those games,” the indictment states.

Among the players named is former college All-American Antonio Blakeney, a former NCAA standout and leading scorer in the Chinese Basketball Association. While Blakeney is named in the indictment, he has not been charged. Prosecutors allege he was recruited by Marves Fairley and Shane Hennen — two defendants already facing charges in a separate illegal NBA gambling case — and later helped recruit other players into the scheme.

After allegedly profiting from fixed CBA games, investigators say the group shifted its focus to NCAA men’s basketball. The indictment details 29 games that were allegedly manipulated as part of the operation.

Bribe payments reportedly ranged from $10,000 to $30,000 per game amounts prosecutors say often exceeded what players could earn legally through name, image, and likeness opportunities. The scheme allegedly targeted players on underdog teams, making it easier to influence whether a team failed to cover the spread.

Two of the players named, Cedquavious Hunter and Dequavion Short, were previously sanctioned by the NCAA in November for allegedly fixing games. Federal prosecutors also noted that some defendants face charges in other jurisdictions.

The case marks one of the most significant betting scandals to impact college basketball in recent years, raising new questions about gambling safeguards, athlete compensation, and the integrity of the sport.

The NCAA has not yet issued a formal response to the indictment.