Jalen Smith, a 30-year-old resident of Charlotte, North Carolina, pleaded guilty on November 18, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania to charges of bribery in sporting contests and aiding and abetting, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and possession of a firearm by a felon.[1][2]

The guilty plea stems from Smith's role in a bribery scheme targeting NCAA Division I men's basketball games and Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) games, which operated from in or about September 2022 through in or about February 2025.[1][3]

Prosecutors described Smith as a "fixer" who, with co-conspirators, recruited more than 39 players from more than 17 NCAA Division I men's basketball teams to underperform in more than 29 games during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, ensuring their teams failed to cover betting spreads. Fixers placed large wagers totaling millions of dollars against those teams through various sportsbooks.[1][3]

Bribes offered to players ranged from $10,000 to $30,000 per game, with fixers targeting athletes for whom the payments would supplement name, image and likeness (NIL) earnings. Players collectively received hundreds of thousands of dollars.[1][2]

The scheme is among indictments charging 26 individuals announced by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.[3][4]

NCAA President Charlie Baker stated on October 22, 2024, that protecting competition integrity is a priority, noting the organization had conducted integrity investigations into approximately 40 student-athletes from 20 schools over the past year. The indictments were "not entirely new information to the NCAA."[5][2]

Smith faces a maximum of five years' imprisonment for the bribery charge, up to 20 years per count of wire fraud conspiracy, and up to 15 years for the firearm charge, along with potential fines up to $250,000 and supervised release.[1][2]

Sources

1. U.S. Attorney's Office Eastern District of Pennsylvania, "Charlotte Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Bribery and Firearms Charges in Connection with Massive Sports Bribery Conspiracy", November 18, 2024, https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/charlotte-man-pleads-guilty-federal-bribery-and-firearms-charges-connection-massive-sports-bribery-conspiracy
2. Fox News Digital, "Jalen Smith pleads guilty in point-shaving scheme involving NCAA D1, CBA games and firearm charge", November 18, 2024, https://www.foxnews.com/sports/jalen-smith-pleads-guilty-point-shaving-scheme-ncaa-d1-cba-games-firearm-charge
3. U.S. Attorney's Office Eastern District of Pennsylvania, "21 Defendants Charged In Massive Sports Bribery Conspiracy", October 21, 2024, https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/21-defendants-charged-massive-sports-bribery-conspiracy
4. Associated Press, "US indicts 26 people in sports betting scandal that includes NCAA basketball", October 21, 2024, https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-basketball-betting-indictments-point-shaving-8a9b5b5b5e5b5b5b5e5b5b5b5e5b
5. NCAA, "NCAA statement regarding Justice Department indictments", October 22, 2024, https://www.ncaa.org/news/2024/10/22/media-center-ncaa-statement-regarding-justice-department-indictments.aspx