NCAA Basketball Betting Fixer Gets Six Years in $3 Million Point-Shaving Scandal

A basketball trainer who recruited college players to deliberately underperform so gamblers could profit by betting against their teams was sentenced Tuesday to six years in federal prison.

Jalen Smith, 30, of Charlotte, N.C., became the first defendant sentenced in a sprawling point-shaving scandal involving more than 39 players across at least 17 NCAA Division I teams. He is not to be confused with the NBA player of the same name, who plays for the Chicago Bulls.

U.S. District Judge Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro also ordered Smith to pay approximately $1.1 million in restitution and forfeit $75,000. He will serve three years of supervised release after completing his prison sentence.

Smith pleaded guilty in March to bribery in sporting contests, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and wire fraud, along with a separate charge of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

Cash for Bad Basketball

The scheme began in 2022 with games in the Chinese Basketball Association before expanding into American college basketball during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons.

Smith, who trained basketball players preparing for professional scouting combines, used his connections to recruit athletes willing to sabotage their performance, typically in exchange for $10,000 to $30,000 per game.

The conspirators targeted players on underdog teams, particularly those whose legitimate opportunities to earn money through name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals were limited.

Their objective was to ensure teams failed to cover the point spread, allowing gamblers to profit from wagers placed against them.

In one March 2024 game, Smith became concerned when the score was tied at halftime. He texted a bribed player, complaining that he was costing him money and insisting the team needed to get blown out in the second half.

The operation generated more than $3 million in fraudulent wagers, causing over $1.1 million in losses to sportsbooks, prosecutors said.

Schools implicated in the wider investigation include DePaul, Buffalo, and Tulane.

‘Used as a Pawn’

At Tuesday’s sentencing hearing in Philadelphia, Smith apologized for his actions but claimed he had been exploited by others involved in the operation.

“I was used as a pawn in this scheme,” he told the court, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.

His attorney, Rocco Cipparone, said Smith personally earned approximately $75,000 over two years, substantially less than some of his co-conspirators.

“My decisions have consequences, and I accept all of them,” Smith said.

Prosecutors described him as a central figure who recruited, managed, and paid corrupt players.

The case has ensnared more than two dozen defendants, including current and former college basketball players. More than half have pleaded guilty, according to the Inquirer.

Other alleged ringleaders include high-stakes gambler Shane Hennen and former NBA player Antonio Blakeney, who prosecutors say helped move the operation from Chinese professional basketball into the US college game.