Federal prosecutors in Philadelphia have unsealed criminal charges in what they say was a years-long, international scheme to rig NCAA Division I men’s basketball games, and even some pro games in China, all to make money through illegal sports betting.
Speaking at a news conference, David Metcalf, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, said the case involves “the criminal corruption of collegiate athletics” and charged that 26 defendants were behind game-fixing operations in the U.S. and overseas. Stressing the broader significance of the allegations, Metcalf said: “When criminals pollute the purity of sports by manipulating competition, it doesn’t just imperil the integrity of sports betting markets. It imperils the integrity of sport itself and everything that sports represent to us.”
According to the indictment filed in federal court and reviewed by ReadWrite, the defendants are charged with violations including bribery in sporting contests, wire fraud, conspiracy, and aiding and abetting. Prosecutors stress that the charges are only allegations, and that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they’re proven guilty. The case, officially titled United States v. Smith et al., was filed on January 14, 2026.
Hellbound and Down 