College basketball point shaving federal investigation moving toward indictments

The federal investigation into point shaving and game fixing in college basketball, led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (EDPA), is moving toward indictments. 

There is said to be a focus on “Southern schools,” but the probe has transcended multiple regions and competitions nationwide with a link to the gambling ring that enticed former NBA star, Jontay Porter, who was banned for life last year due to betting-related violations.

A source close to the situation told Sports Illustrated that “There are going to be charges. 

“It’s going to be national in scope. It’s going to involve multiple players and programs,” they added, pointing to the severity of the college basketball probe.

Investigators have interviewed players suspected of manipulating performances to benefit gamblers, with at least nine college games across recent seasons flagged for suspicious wagering. 

College basketball probe is a much bigger case than first expected

Integrity monitoring services identified unusual betting patterns involving at least five teams, including New Orleans, Eastern Michigan, Mississippi Valley State, and Temple, while others such as Fresno State, Loyola Maryland, and North Carolina A&T have been mentioned.

The NCAA is also conducting its own investigations, with some schools like New Orleans suspending players for potential gambling violations.

Looking at the bigger picture, U.S. attorneys have not yet made a public comment on the gambling ring conspiracy, but the case appears to be a much larger one than first anticipated.

Up to now, five people have been charged over the Jontay Porter scandal, with four pleading guilty to wire fraud conspiracy, and a sixth (Shane Hennen) facing charges of involvement in a multi-billion-dollar betting scheme.

The case continues with much more to come on this developing situation. 

ReadWrite approached the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, but they declined to comment.

Image credit: PCVB

The post College basketball point shaving federal investigation moving toward indictments appeared first on ReadWrite.

Source link