Jalen Smith, 30, of Charlotte, North Carolina, pleaded guilty on Mar. 9 before United States District Court Judge Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro to charges related to a bribery and point-shaving scheme involving National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men’s basketball games and Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) games, as well as unlawful possession of a firearm.
The case is significant because it involves attempts to manipulate the outcomes of collegiate and professional basketball games for financial gain. According to United States Attorney David Metcalf, Smith admitted guilt to multiple counts including bribery in sporting contests, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Smith was charged after an indictment unsealed on January 15 detailed his role in influencing or fixing NCAA and CBA men’s basketball games from September 2022 through February 2025. Prosecutors said that after co-schemers profited from fixed CBA games, they shifted their focus to NCAA men’s basketball. Smith acted as a “fixer,” recruiting players and offering bribes ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 per game during the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 seasons. He communicated with players via social media and text messages, urging them to underperform so that wagers placed against their teams would succeed.
The scheme targeted college athletes whose legitimate compensation opportunities were limited compared to the bribe amounts offered. In total, more than 39 players across over 17 NCAA Division I teams were involved in fixing or attempting to fix more than 29 games. In one instance in March 2024, Smith texted a player at halftime urging him to ensure his team lost by a large margin.
Smith also faced firearms charges after authorities found him in possession of a loaded semi-automatic pistol during a search of his residence in May 2025. The combined charges carry potential sentences totaling decades in prison and substantial fines.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation with prosecution by Assistant United States Attorneys Louis D. Lappen and Jerome M. Maiatico. Authorities encourage anyone with information about these crimes to contact FBI Philadelphia at 215-418-4000 referencing “NCAA point-shaving.”
