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ESPN obtained documents pertaining to an investigation into possible point shaving in college basketball. Both the NCAA and FBI are conducting the probe.
At least nine sportsbooks in 13 states and one Canadian province detected unusual betting activity.
According to David Purdum of ESPN, some customers opened new sportsbook accounts or reemerged after weeks of inactivity to place larger-than-normal or multiple consecutive wagers on the first-half spreads of games, the records show.
A Mississippi sports handicapper, Marves Fairley, was alleged by one sportsbook to have been the mastermind behind the syndicate. On his social media accounts, Fairley refers to himself as "#1 Sports Betting Consultant". He markets himself under brands like Vezino Locks LLC.
SI.com has previously reported on a possible connection between Fairley and a college basketball point shaving scheme that ensnared former NBA player Jontay Porter.
From the SI.com report in February:
Three sources familiar with elements of the federal investigation say one name has come up as a possible co-conspirator: Marves Fairley of Mississippi. He has not been charged in the scheme. Authorities have not publicly named him as a suspect. But on March 29, 2023—six days after Rozier played briefly in the game that is under investigation—Hennen posted a picture of himself with Fairley in the front row of a Mavericks-76ers game in Philadelphia. In the caption, Hennen called him “my partner.” In state court records, Mississippi has called him “a habitual criminal.”
According to Purdum, multiple sources familiar with the federal investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania told ESPN that the FBI has been interviewing college athletes and believe indictments are forthcoming. The sources said they have seen evidence of plots to fix college basketball games.
A spokesperson for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania declined comment.
- Nagesh Rath, Gambling911.com
