Federal College Basketball Betting Probe Expected to Bring Indictments

A sweeping federal investigation into college basketball betting appears to be moving toward formal charges, with multiple players and programs reportedly in the crosshairs. Sports Illustrated reporters Pat Forde and Michael Rosenberg say indictments are expected, and the scope of the probe stretches far beyond one team or conference.

Good to know

• The investigation is linked to the gambling ring that involved former NBA player Jontay Porter.
• Federal prosecutors are interviewing NCAA players suspected of game-fixing and point-shaving.
• At least nine schools have reportedly been tied to the case since early 2024.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has been questioning players believed to have manipulated games or shared inside information to benefit bettors. Sources say the current focus is on programs in the South, though schools from other regions are also implicated.

Integrity alarms and school connections

Integrity monitoring companies have flagged multiple suspicious games since 2024. The NCAA is already investigating players at Temple, Eastern Michigan, New Orleans, and Mississippi Valley State.

Last season, four players from New Orleans were suspended for gambling-related violations, while two former Fresno State players were caught wagering on their own player props through daily fantasy platforms. It’s not clear whether those schools are part of the federal case, but Sports Illustrated previously reported that at least nine programs were under scrutiny.

Even as sports betting has become legal in 39 U.S. states since the repeal of PASPA in 2018, the NCAA has maintained strict prohibitions against wagering on college sports, manipulating games, or sharing insider information.

The Jontay Porter link

The investigation connects back to the betting ring involving Jontay Porter, the former Toronto Raptors forward banned from the NBA for life in 2024. Prosecutors say Porter intentionally altered his playing time to help pay off gambling debts, with others profiting from his player prop outcomes.

Five men have already been charged in the NBA case — Long Phi Pham, Mahmud Mollah, Timothy McCormack, Shane Hennen, and Porter himself. Pham, Mollah, McCormack, and Porter pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges, though their sentencing has been delayed — a move often seen when defendants are cooperating with investigators. Porter’s sentencing is set for December.

Authorities believe Hennen, a Las Vegas resident, was the mastermind behind the scheme. During a 2024 plea hearing, a judge referenced “several different frauds” tied to at least one defendant.

The same group is also linked to suspicious betting on a 2023 NBA game involving guard Terry Rozier, which drew alerts from multiple sportsbooks.