Prosecutors Seek 87 Months for Jalen Smith’s Role in NCAA Bribery and Point-Shaving Scheme

• Prosecutors are seeking a 70 to 87-month sentence for Jalen Smith’s role in an NCAA bribery and point-shaving scheme
• Smith pled guilty to influencing or fixing NCAA and CBA men’s basketball games from 2022 through 2025
• Smith will be sentenced today for his role in the scheme

Federal prosecutors are seeking a sentence at the top of the suggested range for Jalen Smith, 30, of North Carolina for his role in a bribery and point-shaving scheme to fix or influence NCAA and Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) men’s basketball games from September 2022 through February 2025.

Smith pled guilty in March before U.S. District Court Judge Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro on charges in connection with a bribery and point-shaving scheme to fix NCAA Division I men’s basketball games and Chinese Basketball Association games and charges related to an unlawful possession of a firearm. According to a federal indictment released in January, 20 individuals were indicted for their various roles in the scheme.

The 20 individuals named in the indictment allegedly bribed 39 NCAA athletes on more than 17 NCAA Division I teams, leading to more than 29 games being fixed. According to the indictment, 15 of the individuals in the scheme played NCAA basketball in either the 2023-2024 or 2024-2025 seasons.

Smith to be Sentenced Today

Smith is due to be sentenced today at 11 a.m. in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Federal prosecutors submitted a sentencing memorandum in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on Oct. 8, recommending Smith be sentenced from 70 to 87-months for his actions, the top of the suggested sentencing range for his charges.

Additionally, federal prosecutors are seeking restitution of $1,148,137.41 for victims of his scheme to be paid jointly by Smith and co-defendants. However, according to court documents Smith claims his net worth is $1,240.18 and his sole income is $750 per month.

Smith was enlisted as a “fixer” to work with co-defendants to recruit and bribe NCAA men’s basketball games. Smith helped to recruit and bribe members of NCAA basketball teams to underperform in games and fail to cover the spread in games during 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 NCAA seasons. According to court documents, Smith had a “leadership role” in the scheme, particularly by recruiting, managing, and paying players for their roles.

Smith and other co-defendants approached and communicated with players in-person and through social media, texts, and cell phone calls to offer bribes, usually ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 per game.

No Role in CBA Fixes

According to federal prosecutors, Smith had no role in the scheme to fix CBA games. Co-defendants expanded their scheme to NCAA games after profiting on CBA match fixing beginning 2022.

Two of the defendants, Shane Hennen and Marves Fairley, were also included in federal indictments for a sports betting scandal that included Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier.

NCAA basketball athletes Cedquavious Hunter and Dyquavian Short were both named in this indictment. The athletes played for the University of New Orleans Privateers and were previously found to manipulate game performances for the purpose of financially benefitting themselves and others in seven games from December 2024 through January 2025.

One of the men named in the indictment is former NBA player Antonio Blakeney, who appeared in 76 games for the Chicago Bulls from 2017 to 2019. He is alleged to accept a bribe while playing for the Jiangsu Dragons team in a March 6, 2023, matchup against the Guandong Southern Tigers. Blakeney, who averaged 32 points per game during the season, only scored 11 points in the Dragons eventual blowout loss.

The Tigers were favored by 11.5 points in the game and defeated the Dragons by a score of 127-96. Hennen and Fairley, and others working for the men, placed large wagers on the Tigers, including at least $198,300 in bets with BetRivers Sportsbook at Rivers Casino in Philadelphia, according to the indictment.

Blakeney also allegedly reported to Hennen and Fairley when he would not be playing in several other Jiangsu Dragons games, and informed the defendants of several other Dragons teammates who would accept bribes to underperform.