In a significant blow against illegal gambling and match-fixing in sports, federal prosecutors in the United States have formally charged 20 people — including former players and coaches — for their alleged involvement in a scheme to influence the outcomes of college and professional basketball games played also outside the country.
According to court documents, the network developed a complex operation involving more than 39 players from more than 17 different NCAA Division I teams, who allegedly fixed or attempted to fix more than 29 games to benefit sports betting linked to large sums of money.
The investigation began in 2022, when the defendants allegedly bribed players in the Chinese Basketball Association to manipulate victory margins, extending the scheme's influence across international leagues and then returning to performances in the United States.
Among those implicated are also high-stakes sports bettors, which has heightened authorities' concerns about the impact these crimes can have on the integrity of both college and professional sports leagues. The case remains open, and more arrests and penalties are expected as the legal proceedings continue.