Former Fordham player named in federal indictment of NCAA point-shaving scheme amNewYork

"Between September 2022 and February 2025, a group of fixers allegedly recruited and bribed basketball players to influence the outcomes of games at first in the Chinese Basketball Association and later the NCAA. The scheme relied on point shaving, where players intentionally underperform by scoring fewer points or playing second-rate defense to ensure their team did not cover the spread set by sportsbooks."

"This allowed the fixers to place large wagers against those teams. In placing these wagers on games they had fixed, the defendants defrauded sportsbooks, as well as individual sports bettors, who were all unaware that the defendants had corruptly manipulated the outcome of these games that should have been decided fairly, based on genuine competition and the best efforts of the players, the indictment reads."

"During the 2023-24 and 2024-25 NCAA men's basketball seasons, the fixers recruited NCAA players who allegedly accepted bribe payments in exchange for their help. According to the indictment, Elijah Gray, a former Fordham forward, allegedly accepted an offer of $10,000 to-$15,000 from trainer and scout Jalen Smith to help fix a game against Duquesne University on Feb. 23, 2024. The indictment alleges that Gray and another player he helped recruit in the scheme would only receive payments if the scheme succeeded."

Federal authorities charged 20 defendants in a scheme that bribed 39 college basketball players across 17 Division I teams to manipulate game outcomes. The plot allegedly began in the Chinese Basketball Association and later targeted NCAA games between September 2022 and February 2025. The scheme used point shaving, with players asked to underperform so teams would not cover sportsbook spreads, allowing fixers to place large opposing wagers. The indictment details wire fraud, bribery in sporting contests and conspiracy, and cites specific allegations that players received conditional payments tied to success of the manipulations.

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