Jalen Smith Sentenced to 6 Years for NCAA Point-Shaving Scheme That Took in More Than $3 Million in Bets

Jalen Smith, 30, of Charlotte, North Carolina, was sentenced to six years in prison for his role in a bribery and point-shaving scheme targeting NCAA Division I men’s basketball. For sportsbooks, the important part is not just the sentence: the case shows how a multi-state betting ring can use bribed players, social media outreach, and large wagers across multiple books to create losses that exceed $1.1 million.

1. Judge Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro also ordered Smith to pay $1.1 million in restitution and forfeit $75,000. Smith was indicted in January of this year and later pleaded guilty in March to four charges: bribery in sporting contests, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
2. Prosecutors said the scheme ran from approximately September 2022 to February 2025 and involved more than $3 million in fraudulent wagers. According to the case, sportsbooks nationwide suffered losses exceeding $1.1 million.
3. Smith was described as a “fixer” who helped recruit and bribe NCAA men’s basketball players to underperform so their teams would fail to cover the point spread during the 2023–2024 and 2024–2025 seasons. He also helped arrange large wagers through various sportsbooks on the targeted games, betting against teams whose players had been paid to participate.
4. Authorities said Smith held a leadership role, especially in recruiting, managing, and paying players. He and other fixers contacted players in person and through social media, text messages, and telephone calls. The scheme involved more than 39 players across over 17 NCAA Division I men’s basketball teams, with bribes typically ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 per game.
5. Overall, participants fixed or attempted to fix 29 games. Prosecutors also said Smith and at least 26 other named defendants placed millions of dollars in wagers and paid players hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes. After profiting from fixed CBA games, the co-conspirators shifted to manipulating NCAA men’s basketball games.

Smith’s firearm charge came from a 2025 search of his Charlotte residence, where officers found a loaded semi-automatic pistol. Wayne A. Jacobs, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia office, said the sentencing sends a clear message to those who exploit professional and collegiate sports through betting and bribery schemes.