17 College Players Indicted in Point-Shaving Scheme

FBI prosecutors unsealed an indictment on Thursday in Philadelphia that charges 17 former college basketball players, including former All‑American Antonio Blakeney, with a multi‑year point‑shaving scheme that spanned September 2022 to February 2025. The conspiracy involved bribing players to hold back points in NCAA and Chinese Basketball Association games so that fixers could place large bets against the teams. Bribe amounts ranged from $10 000 to $30 000 per game and the indictment cites 29 fixed games that allegedly defrauded sportsbooks and bettors. Two of the accused, Cedquavious Hunter and Dequavion Short of New Orleans, were already sanctioned by the NCAA in November. The indictment also names Marves Fairley and Shane Hennen as recruiters and betting handlers in the plot. Fixers would then book large wagers on the compromised games, profiting from the spread outcomes. The indictment notes that other defendants face separate charges in an NBA‑related gambling case.