17 college basketball players charged in point-shaving scheme: Indictment

Former college All-American Antonio Blakeney is one of 17 basketball players implicated in a point-shaving scandal that involved fixing games in both the NCAA and Chinese Basketball Association, as well as manipulating bets. The indictment, unveiled in Philadelphia, revealed that the scheme operated from September 2022 to February 2025 and resulted in defrauding various sportsbooks and individual bettors.

According to the indictment, a total of 20 defendants, including basketball players who accepted bribes to fix games, participated in the scheme. These players would purposely underperform in games in exchange for financial incentives, while the orchestrators of the scheme placed significant bets on the fixed matches. As a consequence, the sportsbooks and unsuspecting bettors were deceived into believing the games were fair and unbiased.

Among the accused players are Cedquavious Hunter and Dequavion Short, who faced NCAA sanctions in November for their involvement in game-fixing activities. Additionally, Marves Fairley and Shane Hennen allegedly recruited Blakeney, a standout college player and top scorer in the CBA, to intentionally underperform in games for monetary gain. Fairley and Hennen were also implicated in a separate illegal gambling case related to the NBA.

Following their success in fixing CBA games, Fairley, Hennen, and Blakeney shifted their focus to manipulating NCAA men’s basketball games. Although Blakeney is mentioned in the indictment, he is not facing charges. Federal prosecutors indicated that some defendants are facing legal action in other jurisdictions.

The defendants are accused of enticing players to ensure their team did not meet the spread in specific games by offering bribes ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 per match. These payments far exceeded the legitimate earnings potential of most players through endorsements or other means. The fixers targeted underdog teams and incentivized players to intentionally underperform to influence the outcome of the games.

The indictment specifies that 29 games were allegedly fixed as part of the scandal. The illegal activities detailed in the indictment highlight the severe consequences of corruption in sports and the importance of upholding the integrity of athletic competitions.