Jalen Smith Sentenced to Six Years in Prison For Role in NCAA Point-Shaving Scheme

• Jalen Smith has been sentenced to six years in prison and three years of supervised release for his role in a point-shaving scheme
• Smith pled guilty for his role in a scheme to fix NCAA and CBA men’s basketball games from 2022 through 2025
• He is also responsible for restitution of approximately $1.1 million and forfeiture of $75,000

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Jalen Smith, 30, has been sentenced to 72 months in prison for his “leadership” role in a bribery and point-shaving scheme to fix NCAA men’s basketball games from 2023 through 2025.

U.S. Attorney David Metcalf announced the sentence on Tuesday, Oct. 13. U.S. District Judge Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro sentenced Smith to 72 months in prison, three years of supervised release, restitution of approximately $1.1 million, and forfeiture of $75,000 for his role in the scheme, as well as a firearms offense.

“Jalen Smith played a central role in this point-shaving scheme, which corrupted the integrity of NCAA games and the sport of basketball itself,” U.S. Attorney Metcalf said in the sentencing announcement. “As his prosecution and sentence show, we will not permit the criminal corruption of athletic competition to go unanswered. Those engaged in such behavior may profit in the short term, but they’ll lose much more when our team takes them to court.”

Overall Scheme Included Fixing CBA, NCAA Men’s Games

Smith pled guilty in March on charges in connection with a bribery and point-shaving scheme to fix NCAA Division I men’s basketball games and Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) 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 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.

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.

“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message: Those who exploit professional and collegiate athletes for personal gain will be held accountable,” Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia, said in a release. “This conduct does more than harm individual athletes. It undermines the integrity of sports and the trust placed in fair competition. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue those who seek to manipulate that trust for their own financial benefit and ensure they are held responsible for their actions.”

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.