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Jalen Smith, a 30-year-old basketball trainer from Charlotte, N.C., has been sentenced to six years in federal prison for recruiting college players to underperform in a point-shaving scheme, according to Casino.org.
Prosecutors said the operation generated more than $3 million in fraudulent wagers and caused more than $1.1 million in sportsbook losses. The report identifies no West Virginia-specific change or impact.
Prison sentence includes restitution and forfeiture
U.S. District Judge Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro ordered Smith to pay approximately $1.1 million in restitution and forfeit $75,000. He will also serve three years of supervised release after completing his prison sentence.
Smith pleaded guilty in March to bribery in sporting contests, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud, along with a separate charge of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
He was the first defendant sentenced in the wider point-shaving case, which has ensnared more than two dozen defendants, including current and former college basketball players.
At his sentencing hearing in Philadelphia, Smith said, “I was used as a pawn in this scheme.” Prosecutors, however, described him as a central operative responsible for recruiting, managing and paying players involved in the conspiracy.
Scheme targeted teams’ point-spread results
According to the report, the scheme began with Chinese Basketball Association games in 2022 before expanding into American college basketball during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons.
Smith used his basketball connections to recruit athletes, typically offering $10,000 to $30,000 per game to sabotage their performance. The conspiracy targeted players on underdog teams, particularly those with limited name, image and likeness opportunities.
The objective was to ensure those teams failed to cover the point spread, allowing gamblers to profit from wagers against them. In one March 2024 game, Smith texted a bribed player after halftime that the team needed to get blown out in the second half.
Wider investigation involves at least 17 teams
The broader scandal involved more than 39 players across at least 17 NCAA Division I teams, the report said. Schools named in connection with the wider investigation include DePaul, Buffalo and Tulane; that does not establish wrongdoing by the institutions themselves.
Casino.org, citing The Philadelphia Inquirer, reported that more than half of the defendants have pleaded guilty. The supplied reporting does not identify dates for additional sentencing hearings.
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Source: As reported by casino.org.
