Federal prosecutors have charged several men’s college basketball players — including those with ties to HBCUs — in a widening point-shaving conspiracy that authorities say spanned multiple schools and involved hundreds of thousands of dollars in illicit wagers.
According to an indictment filed this week in federal court, the alleged scheme reached into Division I programs across the country, including HBCUs such as North Carolina A&T, Coppin State, and Alabama State.
Prosecutors say that at least four collegiate games in 2024 were intentionally manipulated to benefit a group of “fixers” who placed large bets through U.S. sportsbooks.
The federal indictment, filed in Philadelphia, cites the charges of “bribery in sporting contest” and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Federal prosecutors allege that the gambling ring bribed 39 NCAA basketball players on 17 Division I basketball teams to fix over a dozen of basketball games during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons.
North Carolina A&T game part of probe
Among those named is Camian Shell, a former guard for North Carolina A&T, who prosecutors allege intentionally underperformed during a February 29, 2024, home game against Towson University.
According to court records, Shell, who most recently competed at Delaware State, and another unnamed A&T player agreed during video calls with the conspirators to “influence the outcome” of the first half.
Towson, favored by seven points, went on to lead 42-21 at halftime — easily covering the betting line — before winning 84-58.
Investigators say text messages recovered from the defendants show direct coordination between Shell and one of the scheme’s alleged orchestrators, Jalen Smith, before the game.
“Ten or more points bro, we shouldn’t need sweating sh+t,” one message from Smith read, instructing Shell to ensure that A&T failed to cover the spread. Shell reportedly responded affirmatively, adding a “love” emoji.
After the game, prosecutors allege, Smith and Shell exchanged texts arranging payoff logistics, with Shell expressing concern about meeting in person. “Hell nah, [ain’t] nobody down here I trust,” Shell wrote in one message, asking how much money was supposed to be delivered.
Scheme expanded to other HBCU games
The indictment paints a portrait of a sprawling and increasingly brazen betting ring — one that extended well beyond a single team.
Prosecutors in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania have charged 26 people, including 20 current or recent college players, accusing them of fixing or attempting to fix at least 29 games since 2022 for millions of dollars in wagers.
The alleged ring, anchored by high‑stakes gamblers and self‑described “fixers,” is said to have started with Chinese Basketball Association games before moving aggressively into NCAA men’s basketball in the 2023‑24 and 2024‑25 seasons.
At the center of the operation, authorities say, were Jalen Smith, Marves Fairley and Shane Hennen, who are accused of recruiting players with cash offers and then directing them via text and video calls to miss shots, commit turnovers or ensure their teams failed to cover the point spread.
Court filings and prior reporting indicate that players were typically offered between $10,000 and $30,000 per game, with the fixers sometimes attempting to wager six‑figure sums on single contests at casinos and online sportsbooks.
The scheme allegedly moved from North Carolina A&T to Coppin State days later, with the same fixers recruiting new players for a March 4, 2024, matchup against South Carolina State. Similar bribe offers, prosecutors say, were later extended to players at Alabama State and the University of New Orleans during the 2024–25 season.
Oumar Koureissi, who recently played at Texas Southern, was accused of helping recruit other players to be part of the wide-ranging scheme while he was at Nicholls State in 2024, according to court documents.
At Alabama State, Shawn Fulcher, a transfer from Buffalo, allegedly brought several teammates, including guard Corey Hines, into the operation. In December 2024, Fulcher and his teammates purportedly agreed to lose by more than six points against Southern Mississippi after being promised cash payments.
Prosecutors say text exchanges revealed the fixers growing anxious when Alabama State briefly led at halftime — prompting instructions to “LET [Southern Mississippi players] LAY IT UP.” The Hornets ultimately lost 81–64, again covering the betting line.
The NCAA, which has seen a growing number of gambling-related incidents amid expanding legal sports betting, called the indictment “deeply troubling” and vowed to “enhance education and monitoring programs” for student-athletes.
For now, the case underscores a new frontier in the intersection of college sports and legalized wagering — one where young athletes, often under financial pressure, are increasingly vulnerable to illicit persuasion.
