By Blessing Nweke
A North Carolina man has pleaded guilty to federal charges tied to his leadership role in a wide-ranging point-shaving scheme that manipulated dozens of U.S. college basketball games, prosecutors said Monday.
Jalen Smith, 30, of Charlotte, admitted in a federal court in Philadelphia that he participated in a large operation designed to influence betting outcomes during the 2023–2024 and 2024–2025 NCAA men’s basketball seasons. Smith became the first of 26 defendants charged in the sweeping investigation to plead guilty.
Appearing before U.S. District Judge Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro, Smith pleaded guilty to bribery, wire fraud and illegal possession of a firearm.
Federal prosecutors described Smith as a key “fixer” in the scheme. According to authorities, he recruited college basketball players and persuaded them to intentionally underperform during games so their teams would fail to cover the point spread — a betting margin used in sports gambling.
Prosecutor said Smith played a central leadership role in the operation.
“Smith had a leadership role in the scheme, particularly in recruiting, managing, and paying players for their roles,” prosecutors said in a statement announcing the plea.
Investigators said the scheme involved coordinating with athletes across multiple programs, undermining the integrity of college basketball games and potentially influencing millions of dollars in sports bets.
Smith’s attorney, Rocco Cipparone, said his client decided to plead guilty in order to take responsibility for his actions and begin rebuilding his life.
“He accepted his responsibility early on and simply wants to put this limited chapter of his life behind him,” Cipparone said in a statement.
Smith is scheduled to be sentenced in June. The bribery charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, while wire fraud can bring up to 20 years. The firearm charge also carries a potential 20-year sentence.
Cipparone said he plans to present several mitigating factors at sentencing, including Smith’s early admission of guilt and his personal background, in hopes of securing a reduced sentence.