Fixer In NCAA Basketball Betting Scheme Sentenced

PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Prosecutors in Pennsylvania have announced that a man involved in rigging college basketball games has been sentenced to six years in prison. Jalen Smith, 30, was involved in fixing games during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 NCAA seasons. He recruited players to underperform in exchange for payment, allowing bettors to profit by wagering against their teams. The scheme affected nearly 30 games and resulted in over $3 million in fraudulent wagers. Smith must also pay $1.1 million in restitution. This marks the first penalty in an investigation that authorities said uncovered a network of gamblers and players profiting from fixed games.