NCAA match-fixing organiser sentenced to six years in prison: bets exceeded $3 million
A federal court in Philadelphia sentenced 30-year-old Jalen Smith of North Carolina to six years in prison in a basketball match-fixing case. According to the US Department of Justice, members of the scheme bet against teams whose players had agreed in advance to deliberately underperform.
The investigation covered more than 29 NCAA Division I games, over 39 players from more than 17 college teams. Fraudulent bets totalling more than $3 million were placed on the games. Losses to betting companies exceeded $1.1 million.
The players did not necessarily have to lose
The main objective was the point spread. In handicap betting, winning the game may not be enough: the margin of victory matters. According to the prosecution, the recruited athletes were supposed to play below their usual level so that their teams would fail to cover the bookmakers' point spread.
Recruiters mainly targeted underdog teams and offered individual players between $10,000 and $30,000 per game. As the US Justice Department stated, the bribes could exceed the income available to students through legitimate advertising deals. Once the players agreed, the accomplices placed large bets on their opponents.
The scheme operated from September 2022 to February 2025. At first, its participants manipulated the outcomes of Chinese Basketball Association games, then switched to US college basketball. According to court documents, Smith was responsible for recruiting players, transferring money and organising bets.
The sentence and a separate charge
In March 2026, Smith pleaded guilty to sports bribery, conspiracy and wire fraud. The case also included a separate count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon: during a search in 2025, a loaded semi-automatic pistol was found in his possession.
On October 13, the court sentenced Smith to 72 months in prison, three years of supervised release, approximately $1.1 million in restitution and the forfeiture of $75,000. Prosecutor David Metcalf said those responsible for corrupting sporting competitions would not go unpunished.
The sentence applies to Smith and does not establish the guilt of all the athletes mentioned in the investigation. Proceedings against other participants are ongoing.