These messages concerned 17 games and purported to offer information on how they were to be manipulated. There was evidence that whoever was selling the information had succeeded in finding buyers, with transactions made in Bitcoin, according to The Morgenpost.

Police in the western states of Hesse and Saarland?have confirmed that they are investigating suspicious matches played within their respective jurisdictions. Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) said it was involved as a central coordinator.

Bizarre Goals

The Morgenpost didn’t publish the messages or identify the games out of respect for the ongoing investigations. However, it reported that some included bizarre goals and controversial refereeing decisions. One game contained only own goals.

A spokesperson for the German Football Association (DFB) said the organization hasn’t seen concrete evidence of manipulated games, but is coordinating with authorities. The DFB is also monitoring the situation with its integrity partner, Genius Sports, the spokesperson said.

Low Pay

Match-fixing is far more common within the lower leagues of sports because they are less well scrutinized, and the players are poorer, and so theoretically, more corruptible.

3. Liga, the third tier, is the lowest professional league in Germany, although its players are still well-remunerated. Less so are players in 4. Liga, which is semi-professional. The fifth regional tiers (Oberliga) are amateur leagues in which players aren’t paid at all.

Betting on amateur games is illegal in Germany, although offshore websites have been known to offer markets on these games.

Last week, Oberliga Hamburg reported two incidents where data scouts were discovered at games illegally relaying live information to offshore betting platforms.

The Hoyzer Scandal

German soccer’s last major match-fixing scandal occurred in 2005 when referee Robert Hoyzer confessed to fixing and betting on games. Hoyzer, who mainly oversaw matches in Germany’s second tier, admitted he had accepted bribes from a gambling syndicate with links to organized crime.

The rogue ref was banned for life from having anything to do with the sport and was later sentenced to two years and five months in prison.

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Garcia, a 30-year-old from France who reached the semifinals of the 2022 US Open and was ranked as high as No. 4 in the world at the height of her career in September 2018, blamed the ongoing expansion of legal sports betting in the US for much of the online harassment and threats. After being eliminated by Renata Zarazua, ranked 92nd and making her debut in the Grand Slam major, Garcia thought it was time to reveal what players bear every week from agitated bettors.

“Tournaments and the sport keep partnering with betting companies, which keep attracting new people to unhealthy betting. The days of cigarette brands sponsoring sports are long gone. Yet, here we are promoting betting companies, which actively destroy the lives of some people,” Garcia opined.

Time for Action?

Garcia was the favorite in her match against Zarazua, with most sportsbooks putting the 2022 WTA Finals champion around -210 to Zarazua at +160. Garcia’s odds implied a likely winning chance of nearly 68%.

After losing convincingly in straight sets 6-1, 6-4, Garcia said she fielded more abuse from bettors who lost money on her poor play.

If someone decided to say [these] things to me in public, he could have legal issues. So, why online we are free to do anything? Shouldn’t we reconsider anonymity online?”

Garcia encouraged tennis fans and sports bettors?to remember that professional athletes are also human beings.

“Be kind. Give love. Enjoy life,” she concluded.

Garcia said she isn’t opposed to allowing fans to bet on tennis matches, but questions whether the sport’s governing bodies should be partnered with and promoting the gambling firms.

League Pledges Fall Short

Tennis’ governing bodies — the International Tennis Federation (ITF), Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), and United States Tennis Association (USTA) — have entered into numerous partnerships over the past few years with companies and organizations that are supposedly capable of protecting the integrity of the game and safeguarding players from the abuse Garcia detailed.

In late December, the groups aligned with Threat Matrix to curb cybercruelty. Threat Matrix comes from LexisNexis, a US-based data analytics company.

The governing bodies said at the time that the Threat Matrix partnership was to “protect and support athletes from mental trauma and potential real-world threat of online harassment and abuse.”

Threat Matrix claims to have the capability to identify people behind their anonymous social media accounts and relay such information to appropriate parties, including law enforcement. Tennis’ governing bodies haven’t publicly responded to Garcia’s comments.

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None of those investigated will be charged with misconduct in public office, the Met said. However, it’s still possible that they could still be charged under the Gambling Act for cheating at gambling.

The Gambling Commission is still examining the actions of numerous senior Conservatives accused of placing bets on the timing of the election based on information known only by a select few. The wagers were allegedly placed just days before the “snap” election was announced by then-prime minister Rishi Sunak.

Conservative Downfall

The scandal was one of the factors that contributed to the Conservative Party’s landslide defeat in the election. A survey by thinktank Demos found the incident had further eroded voters’ trust in the party’s ability to govern.

Among those accused was?Craig Williams, who at the time, was Sunak’s chief aide. Williams has admitted placing a ￡100 bet on a July election at odds of 5/1.

Also in the frame is Tony Lee, the Conservative Party’s director of campaigns. Williams, along with Lee’s wife, Laura Saunders, were standing in the election as prospective MPs but withdrew in the wake of the scandal.

Embarrassingly for the Met, “at least seven” of its own officers, including one who was part of Sunak’s protection detail, were also investigated for insider election betting. Their cases are being examined by the Met’s directorate of professional standards and the Gambling Commission.

High Bar Not Met

Misconduct in public office is a serious offense that has a maximum prison sentence of life. But after reviewing the case of the senior Conservatives, the Crown Prosecution determined that the “high bar for misconduct in public office to be proven was not met.”

It has therefore been agreed between the Met and the Gambling Commission that the more appropriate criminal offences to progress with would be those under the Gambling Act.” a Met spokesperson said. “While our involvement in the criminal investigation now ceases, it’s important that is not misinterpreted as an all-clear for those whose cases were looked at.”

UK Gambling Law prohibits “cheating at gambling,” but doesn’t define what this might involve. It is unclear therefore whether insider betting constitutes cheating in the eyes of the law.

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Paqueta looked sharp and even scored a penalty equalizer in the game against Aston Villa, which Villa ended up winning 2-1.

In May, the Brazil star?was charged by England’s Football Association (FA) with deliberately seeking to “receive a card from the referee for the improper purpose of affecting the betting market.”

The seriousness of these charges is unprecedented in English football and, if proven, they are potentially career-ending for the 26-year-old.

But sources who spoke to The Times of London recently suggested Paqueta is likely to be eligible to play for West Ham for most, if not all, of this season.

The player denies the charges and will be permitted to play until the disciplinary process is complete. Such is the complexity of the case that it’s likely to drag on until late 2025, the sources said.

What is Paqueta Accused of?

The FA launched an investigation in August 2023 following reports of suspicious betting patterns around an injury-time yellow card Paqueta received in West Ham’s draw at Bournemouth on Aug 12, 2023.

The probe later expanded to include bookings received in three additional games — against Leicester City on Nov. 12, 2022, Aston Villa on March 12, 2023, and Leeds United on May 21, 2023.

Some of the bets were placed in Duque de Caxias, a city on Brazil’s Guanabara Bay. Paqueta was born and raised on Paqueta Island in Guanabara Bay. His real name is Lucas Tolentino Coelho de Lima, but he adopted “Paqueta” as a tribute to his birthplace.

Other bets were placed with West Ham sponsor Betway, which doesn’t take bets in Brazil. Paqueta hasn’t been charged with placing bets himself, but people close to him are suspected of doing so.

City Deal Dead

Last summer, Paqueta was lined up for a high-profile move to EPL champion Manchester City in a deal that was reportedly worth $85 million. The deal imploded with news of the FA investigation.

Paqueta has vowed to “fight with every breath to clear my name.”

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An internal investigation led by a private law firm concluded that a majority of the men’s swimmers on the Fighting Irish’s varsity team participated in an illegal betting pool. Investigators determined that the team engaged in wagering amongst themselves, and commonly bet on their individual performances and meet outcomes.

In order to ensure that this behavior ends and to rebuild a culture of dignity, respect, and exemplary conduct, we have decided to suspend the men’s swimming program for at least one academic year,” said Notre Dame Athletic Director Pete Bevacqua.

The NCAA prohibits student-athletes from participating in sports betting, regardless of whether it’s through legal sportsbooks in regulated sports betting states or through an offshore operator. College players are additionally banned from participating in betting pools and other social betting activities like Super Bowl squares.

There was no proof that any members of the women’s or diving teams partook in the betting.

Coaches Unaware

The Notre Dame probe didn’t turn up any evidence that men’s swimming coach Chris Lindauer was aware of the team’s betting activities. The investigators reported that no one on Lindauer’s staff was also in on the game.

“The review found that the staff was not aware of gambling or the scope and extent of other troubling behaviors because team members effectively concealed such behaviors from the coaches and staff through concerted efforts,” Bevacqua said. “According to the review, when the staff became aware of certain isolated incidents of unacceptable conduct, they treated them seriously and professionally.”

Bevacqua became Notre Dame’s athletics director in June 2023. He previously served as chair of NBC Sports and the CEO of the PGA of America?

Costly Outcome

Notre Dame’s decision to ban its men’s swimming team for one year comes with detrimental costs. The Fighting Irish finished the 2023-24 season ranked 11th in the nation and was expected to compete for a national title this winter with seven incoming transfers.

With the team banned from competition for a year, NCAA rules allow players to transfer out of Notre Dame. However, any forthcoming suspension the NCAA places on individuals for participating in the betting pool would follow them to their new school.

The NCAA is reviewing Notre Dame’s men’s swimming ban and working with school officials to determine if specific player suspensions are warranted.

“The national office is aware that Notre Dame has declared several student-athletes ineligible in light of potential violations of sports betting rules,” an NCAA spokesperson told the media. “We continue to work with the school as it determines what occurred. The NCAA does not comment on specific eligibility cases due to student privacy laws, and we have no further comment at this time.”

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Dale Tristan Young was in the rare position to know the winner of the prestigious national award in advance, and he relayed this privileged information to an old school friend, gambler James Matthew Dawkins, according to prosecutors.

They allege the pair profited to the tune of A$13,302 (US$8,650) from betting on the winner between 2017 and 2019.

Advance Knowledge

The Australian of the Year Award is as it sounds – a decoration for the Australian national who judges determine has done the country proudest in the preceding 12 months.

Previous recipients have included eminent pioneers in the fields of science, medicine and the arts, as well as outstanding athletes. Also among those honored were the late Alan Bond, a businessman known for his high-profile and often corrupt business dealings, and Paul Hogan, star of the Crocodile Dundee movies.

US regulators generally prohibit wagering on events where the outcome could be known in advance – although New Jersey makes a special exception for the Oscars – but they’re fair game in jurisdictions such as Australia and the UK.

Sportsbooks are incredibly vigilant around these markets for obvious reasons. While the markets remain small in comparison to sports, operators like them because they generate publicity. However, their limited handle also makes suspicious betting patterns easier to spot.

Suspicious Winning Streak

Between 2017, Dawkins placed 48 successful bets spread across several sportsbooks, a winning streak that did not go unnoticed by operators who notified federal crime agencies.

In 2017, Dawkins backed Alan Mackay-Sim, a biomedical scientist specializing in adult stem cell research. In 2018, his money was quantum physicist Michelle Simmons. In 2019, he picked Craig Challen and Richard Harris, who were recognized for their role in rescuing a youth soccer team from the flooded Tham Lang caves in Thailand, a story that made headlines around the world.

On Thursday, Young and Dawkins pleaded guilty to abuse of public office offences at the Dandenong Magistrates Court near Melbourne. They face a maximum 12 months in prison or a fine of about A$16,000 and are both now huge longshots for next year’s Australian of the Year accolade.

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In March, Neff pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice charges – specifically, destroying evidence, tampering with witnesses, and providing false statements to the FBI. This was in connection to a federal investigation into irregularities surrounding a Southeastern Conference game between Alabama and LSU played on April 28, 2023.

This information would have been gold dust to a gambler betting on the game, which LSU ran out winning 8-6.

Bohannon had been Alabama’s coach since 2018, earning an annual salary of $500K. It’s not known why he shared the information or whether he expected to profit from Neff’s activities.

Cat Out of the Bag

Were it not for Neff’s conspicuous ineptitude, the world may have never heard of the conspiracy. Shortly before the game began, Neff turned up at the sportsbook at Ohio’s Great American Ballpark, home to the Cincinnati Reds, and attempted to place $100K on LSU.

This aroused suspicion because there was very little betting traffic on the game. Moreover, the proposed bet was far greater than the sportsbook’s limit on NCAA games.

“Holman is out for sure … lemme know when I can tell LSU … Hurry,” Bohannon had written, according to the filings.

‘Gamed the System’

Neff placed an additional bet on the game with a competing sportsbook and shared the information with at least four other gamblers, according to federal court documents.

Bert Eugene Neff is a professional gambler,” said assistant US attorney Edward Canter in court documents. “Faced with a federal grand jury investigation, he worked to game the system.

“The defendant destroyed evidence, tampered with witnesses, and provided false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” Canter added. “He did not do this once. He did it on dozens of occasions, and he did so for the greater part of a year.”

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Twenty-six Iowa and Iowa State athletes sued the state in April. They argue that the investigation by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) used warrantless searches and other unconstitutional techniques.

As a result of the investigation and subsequent prosecution, the athletes’ lives, collegiate careers, and future opportunities were “severely upended,” according to the lawsuit.

The athletes were found to have placed bets while under the legal age of 21 using online sportsbook accounts belonging to friends or family members, which added identity theft charges to the rap sheet.

Most pleaded guilty, paid a fine, and dealt with the consequences for their careers. Four fought the charges and were successful.

‘No Expectation of Privacy’

In their motion to dismiss, lawyers for Iowa argued that 11th Amendment immunity shielded the state from prosecution. The amendment limits the ability of individuals to sue states in a federal court if they are not citizens of that state.

Meanwhile, the athletes who gambled on other people’s accounts had “no reasonable or actual expectation of privacy in gambling accounts they didn’t own,” according to the filings.

“Here, plaintiffs’ own rules violations caused their suspensions and related injuries,” they argued. “Plaintiffs should not gain from their own illicit activity.”

Misuse of Software

DCI agents used tracking software supplied by geolocation company GeoComply to pry into the students’ betting habits on college campuses.

The software is used by online gambling operators to ensure they are only taking bets from users located within the borders of the state in which they’re licensed.

GeoComply made the software available to law enforcement agencies to detect “hotspots” – areas where a large concentration of bets was occurring – so agencies could monitor potential money laundering or other fraudulent activity.

DCI agents also violated some of the students’ Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination, according to the lawsuit. These athletes were told during interviews, falsely, that they weren’t under criminal investigation and weren’t read their Miranda rights.

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Felix Zwayer was banned from soccer for six months as a result of the scandal, which happened two decades ago in his native Germany.

Zwayer was found to have received €300 from notorious match-fixer, former referee Robert Hoyzer, to “avoid critical situations” for one team in a May 2004 German Cup game, according to a German Football Association (DFB) investigation. Zwayer was the linesman in the game between SV Wuppertal and Werder Bremen, while Hoyzer was the first official.

Bellingham Beef

However, the DFB could find no evidence that Zwayer had directly manipulated the game. His punishment was lenient because of his contribution to the investigation of the case. He was one of a group of whistleblowers – pun intended – who approached the DFB with concerns about Hoyzer in late 2004.

That Zwayer accepted money from Hoyzer was hidden from public knowledge until a decade later when German newspaper?Der Zeit?published an exposé.

Wednesday’s match may be particularly awkward given the history between Zwayer and England’s talismanic midfielder Jude Bellingham.

The DFB fined the player €40K for the remark.

Zwayer will be hoping the tomorrow’s game passes without any such controversy. Make a decision that leaves England aggrieved and he will undoubtedly face the wrath of the British tabloids.

What Happened to Hoyzer?

Hoyzer fell under suspicion after officiating a match between the Bundesliga’s Hamburg and non-league minnows Paderborn in August 2004 in the first round of the German Cup. Few gave Paderborn a chance, but the team ran out an unlikely winner after Hoyzer awarded it two phantom penalties and sent off Hamburg’s Belgian forward Emile Mpenza.

When suspicious betting patterns were reported, authorities launched a criminal investigation. Hoyzer admitted he had manipulated several games on behalf of a Croatian gambling syndicate operated by three brothers, Ante Sapina, Milan Sapina, and Filip Sapina. The brothers won €500K from betting on the Paderborn game alone.

Hoyzer was sentenced to two years and five months in prison and banned for soccer for life.

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On Tuesday, federal prosecutors in Brooklyn filed a criminal information sheet indicating Porter will face unspecified felony charges. That’s for his alleged role in a conspiracy that saw him compromise his own play to benefit a New York-based gambling ring.

A spokesperson for the DA’s Office told The Athletic Wednesday that Porter is expected to plead guilty to the charges on July 10. He is also the subject of a criminal investigation in Canada.

Winnings Frozen

Prosecutors believe Porter also provided information about his fitness to the gang, which would have won US$1,272,875 from betting the under on the athlete via DraftKings and FanDuel. However, the lion’s share of those winnings was frozen by the sportsbooks when they detected suspicious betting patterns.

The syndicate placed bets on Porter to underperform in the Raptors January 26 game against the Los Angeles Clippers and a March 20 game against the?Sacramento Kings, both losses for the Raptors.

Four members of the betting syndicate?have been arrested?by federal authorities, one while apparently?attempting to flee the US.?They face wire fraud charges that come with a maximum 20-year sentence.

Porter Owed Gambling Debts

Prosecutors will allege Porter agreed to the scheme because he had amassed large gambling debts to the group. The athlete was in contact with co-conspirators via a Telegram messaging group where details of the scheme were discussed. That’s according to the indictments of the four others, which refer to Porter only as “Player 1.”

On April 4, the day Porter was banned by the NBA, he told his coconspirators that they “might just get hit w a rico” – a reference to federal anti-racketeering charges. He also instructed them to delete their cell phone records, according to the indictments.

Porter’s lawyer, Jeff Jensen, has said his client “got in over his head” because of problems with gambling addiction.

Porter is the first player to be dealt a lifetime ban for gambling since Jack Molinas in 1954. Molinas was a key figure in one of basketball’s most notorious points-shaving scandals.

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Sir Philip Davies MP neither confirmed nor denied placing the ￡8,000 wager, first reported by The Sun. But he told the UK tabloid he firmly expected to be defeated July 4 in an anticipated landslide loss for the governing Conservative Party. Davies has been the member of parliament for Shipley, Yorkshire, since 2005.

What’s it got to do with you whether I did or didn’t?” he asked The Sun, adding that he had done nothing illegal.

“I hope to win [in the election],” he said. “I’m busting a gut to win. I expect to lose. In the 2005 election, I busted a gut to win. I expected to lose. I had a bet on myself to lose in the 2005 election, and my bet went down the pan.”

Sinking Ship

The Conservatives’ already sinking reelection campaign has been torpedoed by a series of mishaps, including an ongoing investigation by the UK Gambling Commission into alleged insider betting.

Five prominent party figures are known to be suspected of placing bets on the timing of a general election just days before prime minister Rishi Sunak called it on May 22.

These include two who were expected to stand in next week’s election, the prime minister’s chief aide, Craig Wiliams, and Laura Saunders, who is married to the Conservative Party campaign manager. Both candidates were suspended by the Conservatives Tuesday.

Also in the frame is an unnamed member of Sunak’s personal security detail, who is a special officer with London’s Metropolitan Police. Several other Met officers are also under investigation.

Those found to have placed bets with insider information could be charged with cheating at gambling, which comes with a maximum sentence of two years in prison. They could also be prosecuted for misconduct in public office, which comes with a maximum prison sentence of life.

Davies Broke No Rules

By contrast, if Davies has indeed bet against his own reelection, he would be correct in saying that he has not broken the law, since the outcome of the election remains unknown and beyond his control.

Betting against yourself is only prohibited if you happen to be a professional athlete, and even then, it only contravenes the regulations of the official body that governs your sport, unless match-fixing is involved, which is fraud.

In fact, Davies isn’t even the first lawmaker to have been accused of betting against himself at this election. That dubious honor goes to Labour Party candidate Kevin Craig.

Craig admitted Thursday to placing the wager, which he said was “a bit of fun,” adding that he intended to give the winnings to local charities. He was immediately suspended by the party.

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The American athlete was banned for life by the league in April for “spot fixing” and leaking insider information to a New York-based gambling syndicate

This was done with the knowledge that Porter would exit early from each game claiming injury, according to prosecutors.

?What is Spot Fixing?

Spot fixing refers not to the manipulation of the outcome of a game, which would involve a conspiracy of multiple players, but to one small aspect of the game, which requires the participation of just one player. This could involve the number of yellow cards or throw-ins that might a occur in a soccer game, for example. Or, in this case, a single player’s performance in two basketball games.

Four members of the New York betting syndicate have been arrested by federal authorities, one while apparently attempting to flee the US. They face wire fraud charges that come with a maximum 20-year sentence if convicted.

Porter Owed Debts to Gang

It was unclear whether Porter would also face charges. On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) told ESPN that a criminal investigation is warranted.

US Federal prosecutors believe Porter agreed to the scheme because he had amassed large gambling debts to the group, and this was his way out.

Court documents show Porter was in contact with co-conspirators via a Telegram messaging group where details of the scheme were discussed.

On April 4, the day Porter received the NBA ban, he told the group that they “might just get hit w a rico” – a reference to federal anti-racketeering charges. He also told them to delete their cell phone records.

Porter’s lawyer, Jeff Jensen, has described his client as a good kid who “got in over his head” because of problems with gambling addiction.

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The unnamed officer is understood to be a member of the London Metropolitan Police Force’s Royalty and Specialist Protection (RaSP) Command unit.

The arrest came a week after news that Sunak’s closest political aide, Craig Williams, was under investigation by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) for placing a bet on a July election just three days before Sunak called the ballot. Williams hoped to stand in the election as Conservative candidate for Montgomeryshire, Wales.

Betting Scandal Deepens

On Wednesday, it emerged that another Conservative Party candidate was also under investigation. She has been named by The Independent as Laura Saunders, who is standing as MP for Bristol North West. Saunders is married to Tony Lee, the Conservative Party’s director of campaigns.

Unlike the US, betting on political events is legal in the UK, although sportsbooks are extremely vigilant around any market where a small group of people could have privileged information about an outcome of an event before it becomes public knowledge.

Betting with insider information is a crime in the UK, punishable by up to two years in prison. Meanwhile, misconduct in public office comes with a maximum prison sentence of life.

It’s understood that the gambling commission recently contacted domestic betting operators asking them to examine all substantial bets made on a July election.

‘Error of Judgment’

Sunak announced a July 4 election on May 22. The timing was surprising because the prime minister’s Conservative Party has been trailing in the polls since the start of 2022. Some sportsbooks have the odds of a change of government at 1/200, an implied probability of 99.5%.

Williams told the?BBC?last week he had made a “huge error of judgment,” but refused to say whether the bet had been made with insider knowledge, citing the ongoing UKGC investigation.

“I don’t want it to be a distraction from the campaign. I should have thought through how it looks,” he added.

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The MLB on Friday announced its plans to discipline Hoberg for breaching Rule 21, which says any player, umpire, team or league official/employee shall not bet on any baseball game regardless of their involvement.

Persons under that condition who bet on baseball that they’re directly involved in face lifetime suspensions from the MLB. Those who bet on baseball games that they’re not participating in face a one-year ban.

During this year’s Spring Training, Major League Baseball commenced an investigation regarding a potential violation of MLB’s sports betting policies by umpire Pat Hoberg,” MLB said in a statement. “Mr. Hoberg was removed from the field during the pendency of that investigation. While MLB’s investigation did not find any evidence that games worked by Mr. Hoberg were compromised or manipulated in any way, MLB determined that discipline was warranted.”

Hoberg, 37, has been a full-time MLB ump since 2017. He has not called a game this year because of the ongoing probe.

Call Challenged

Hoberg has been one of the most accurate umps in calling balls and strikes behind home plate and baserunners safe or out.

During Game 2 of the 2022 World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and Houston Astros, Hoberg called a perfect game, with the MLB’s review concluding that the ump called all 129 pitches that were not swung at correctly.

Hoberg said he will appeal the league’s planned disciplinary action. Because of that decision, the league said it cannot at this time detail specifics of the investigation that led to the conclusion that disciplinary action was warranted.

Mr. Hoberg has chosen to appeal the determination. Therefore, we cannot comment further until the appeal process is concluded,” the MLB statement explained.

The Hoberg scandal comes a week after the MLB announced a lifetime ban against San Diego Padres player Tucupita Marcano. A league investigation found that Marcano bet at least $150,000 on baseball games from October 2022 through July 2023, with some of the bets being on games he participated in while a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Three minor league players were handed one-year bans for betting on baseball games that they weren’t playing.

Reputation Demise

Hoberg has been a banner ump for the MLB but the sports betting scandal jeopardizes his reputation. Along with having the honor of working the 2022 World Series, Hoberg was the home-plate umpire for the 2021 Field of Dreams game between the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees played in Iowa.

Donaghy spent 11 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to engage in wire fraud and transmitting wagering information through interstate commerce.

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Long Phi Pham, 38, was apprehended by the FBI on June 3 as he attempted to board a one-way flight to Australia.

Pham’s lawyer, Michael Soschnik, explained to reporters after the hearing that his client ranked in the “one percent of poker players in the world.”

Manipulated NBA Games

Pham was part of a group that profited from bets on NBA games involving Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter when they knew he would be exiting early, according to prosecutors.

The group won more than $2 million by taking the under with DraftKings and FanDuel on Porter’s performances in two games where it had been agreed he would fake injury. Most of the winnings were frozen when the operators detected suspicious betting patterns.

Pham is facing wire fraud charges for his alleged involvement in the plot. Magistrate Judge?Cheryl Pollak granted him bail Wednesday at $750K, although she expressed reservations.

“I think he is trying to flee the country to evade prosecution. I am sitting here today with very serious doubts that I am making a big mistake,” she said.

What Poker Festival?

There was no poker festival scheduled this month at the Star with the kind of fields and prize pools that might tempt the top 1% of poker players to fly to the other side of the world at a time when the World Series of Poker is in full swing in Las Vegas.

Pham faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

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Ammar Awawdeh, 32, from New York City, surrendered on Friday following the arrests of three co-defendants last week. The group is accused of conspiring with Porter to profit from Raptors games by betting the under on the player’s performance when they knew he would be exiting early from games.

Federal prosecutors believe Porter agreed to the scheme because he had amassed large gambling debts to the group. In April, he was banned from the NBA for life for violating the league’s gambling rules.

Porter responded: “If I don’t do a ‘special’ with your terms. Then it’s up. And u hate me and if I don’t get u 8k by Friday you’re coming to Toronto to beat me up,” the documents said.

$1.27M Profit

Awawdeh’s alleged co-conspirators are Timothy McCormack, Mahmud Mollah, and Long “Bruce” Phi Pham. They were arrested last week, the latter at the airport as he attempted to flee to Australia. All four face wire fraud charges.

Around eight bets were placed with DraftKings and FanDuel, online and in-person at an unnamed Atlantic City casino.

The flurry of big winning bets on such a small aspect of the second game was a red flag for match-fixing. At least one betting account was immediately suspended and the operators reported their concerns to the NBA, for whom they are both official betting partners.

‘In Over Head’

On April 4, the day he received the NBA ban, Porter told the group via Telegram that they “might just get hit w a rico” – a reference to federal anti-racketeering charges. He also told them to delete their cell phone records.

On Friday, Porter’s lawyer told the Associated Press his client was a good kid who got “in over his head” because of his gambling addiction.

Jontay is a good young man with strong faith that will get him through this. He was in over his head due to a gambling addiction. He is undergoing treatment and has been fully cooperative with law enforcement,” Jensen said.

It’s not clear whether Porter will face criminal charges.

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On Tuesday, Long Phi Pham, 38, was charged with conspiring to defraud a sports betting company through wagers, according to Reuters.

Pham and others are alleged to have made more than $1 million by betting the “under” on Porter’s performances for the Toronto Raptors while party to insider information.

Porter was a power forward for the Raptors until he was banned from the NBA for life in April. He’s the first player to be kicked out of the league for gambling since Jack Molinas, a key figure in one of basketball’s most notorious points-shaving scandals, in 1954.

Sportsbooks Tipoff

The NBA began its investigation in March after receiving notice from sportsbooks of suspicious betting patterns surrounding two games featuring Porter. These were a January 26 loss to the LA Clippers and a March 20 game against the Sacramento Kings, again a loss for the Raptors.

Porter exited early in both games. He played four minutes of the Clippers game after a reoccurrence of an existing eye injury, and just three minutes of the Kings game after complaining of feeling ill.

Federal prosecutors allege that Porter owed the co-conspirators large gambling debts and agreed to the scheme as a means of paying them off.

‘Hit with a RICO’

In a Telegram chat group on April 4, the day he received the NBA ban, Porter told Pham and others that they “might just get hit w a rico” – a reference to federal anti-racketeering charges. He told them to delete their cell phone records.

The NBA investigation found Porter had also placed at least 13 bets on games using a friend’s sportsbook account. These included at least one bet on the Raptors to lose.

Pham was carrying $12K in cash, $80K in cashier’s checks, betting slips, and three cell phones when he was arrested at JFK. He faces federal wire fraud charges that come with up to 20 years in prison.

US Magistrate Judge Cheryl Pollak ordered Pham detained at a hearing Tuesday.

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The seriousness of the charges are unprecedented in the English Premier League.

In a brief statement, Paqueta said he “denied the charges in their entirety,” adding that he would “fight with every breath to clear my name.”

If found guilty, Paqueta’s career could be over. He is just 26 years old.

FA Probe

An FA investigation was triggered last summer by reports of suspicious betting patterns around an injury-time yellow card Paqueta received in West Ham’s draw at Bournemouth on Aug. 12, 2023.

It subsequently expanded to include bookings received in three additional games against Leicester City on Nov. 12, 2022, Aston Villa on March 12, 2023, and Leeds United on May 21, 2023.

Manchester City Deal Sunk

News of the investigation torpedoed Paqueta’s planned transfer to Manchester City in the summer of 2023. The current English Premier League champion had agreed a deal in principle to sign the up-and-coming star. Many expected the deal to be revived this summer if Paqueta were cleared.

Some of the suspicious bets were placed in Duque de Caxias, a city on Brazil’s Guanabara Bay. Paqueta hails from Paqueta Island, a tiny land mass in Guanabara Bay. His real name is Lucas Tolentino Coelho de Lima, but he adopted “Paqueta” as a tribute to his birthplace.

Other sketchy bets were placed with West Ham’s jersey sponsor Betway, which doesn’t take bets from Brazil.

Paqueta hasn’t been charged with placing bets himself, but people close to him are suspected of doing so, The Times of London recently reported.

He is essentially accused of spot-fixing. This is where minute aspects of the game, such as yellow cards, are manipulated by a single player, rather than a larger conspiracy to fix the actual result.

Spot-fixing at the elite level of English soccer is unheard of. It’s unclear why Paqueta, who earns around $9 million a year at West Ham, would agree to risk wrecking his career just as it was about to explode. The player would have earned significantly higher wages had he made the move to City.

Charges Unprecedented

While several Premier League players have been caught up in gambling scandals in recent years – usually for betting on games — none have been accused of manipulating the action. If Paqueta is found guilty, it would be unprecedented at this level.

It comes as major leagues in the US have expressed concern about the potential for spot-fixing in the new sports betting markets.

Supporters of sports betting in the US, including NBA commissioner Adam Silver, argue that regulation means match-fixing is detected because licensed operators report suspicious betting patterns, thereby safeguarding the integrity of the game.

Detractors argue that illegal street corner bookies do not offer in-play bets on the performance of individual players.

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City agreed to a deal in principle with the midfield playmaker’s current club, West Ham, in August 2023, but that was torpedoed by news that Paqueta was facing a probe into betting breaches by English soccer’s governing body, the Football Association (FA).

City chiefs balked after hearing the investigation centered on claims of suspicious betting patterns in Brazil around yellow cards shown to Paqueta. But they remain interested in signing the player should he be exonerated.

Sketchy Bets

The FA investigation is believed to be focused on a yellow card Paqueta received for a late challenge on Aston Villa’s John Mcguin on March 12, 2023.

Sportsbooks reported that an unusual number of bets were placed on the player getting booked in that game.

Meanwhile, some of the bets were also placed with Betway, West Ham’s jersey sponsor, which doesn’t take bets from Brazil.

Paqueta hasn’t been accused of placing any of the bets, but those close to him are being investigated, according to The Times. He denies any wrongdoing, knowledge, or involvement.

West Ham in Limbo

The West Ham board is also anxious for the investigation to conclude because the uncertainty is affecting the team’s transfer plans for the summer. The cash from the potential sale would swell its war chest in the summer market and redefine its transfer strategy.

Meanwhile, a protracted investigation could leave the team scrambling to find a replacement for Paqueta if it concludes late in the transfer window. The FA has refused to comment on the status of the case.

Last year, the Brazilian was interviewed at least twice and agreed to allow investigators access to his phone.

The practice is almost unheard of in elite soccer because stratospheric wages remove the financial incentive.

If found guilty, Paqueta could face a lifelong ban from the sport.

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While police did not identify the players or the team involved, Australian media has named three players for McCarthur FC, a team based in southwestern Sydney.

They are 33-year-old team captain Ulises Dávila, a Mexican national, 27-year-old Clayton Lewis, a New Zealand native, and 32-year-old Kearyn Baccus, who is South African. All three have played for their respective countries at some level.

Organized Crime

New South Wales’ Organized Crime Squad Gaming Unit began investigating the players in December 2023 after receiving a tip off from the UK Gambling Commission. Investigators said Friday they discovered a “senior player” was being paid by a South American gambling syndicate to organize yellow cards to occur during games.

This player was in contact with a “controller” – an organized crime figure based in South America.

The 1-1 draw that played out between Macarthur and Melbourne Victory on November 24 was one of the games that allegedly was manipulated. Macarthur received two yellow cards in that game, one of which was shown to Dávila.

Another, played two weeks later against Sydney FC, saw four yellows for Macarthur players, including Dávila, Lewis, and Baccus.

Police alleged the group attempted to fix the number of yellows in two more games but were unsuccessful.

“In relation to one of the matches, there’s multiple hundreds of thousands of dollars being paid out [in gambling winnings],” Det Supt Peter Faux.

A-League Turmoil

Macarthur FC said in a short statement on Friday that it was “shocked” by the developments.

“Integrity of our game is a foundation pillar and we will work closely with all relevant agencies on this matter,” the club added.

Police charged a 33-year-old man Friday with two counts of engaging in conduct that corrupts a betting outcome of an event, and two counts of engaging in conduct that corrupts a betting outcome of an event. A 32-year-old and 27-year-old were charged with engaging in conduct that corrupts a betting outcome of an event.

The 33-year-old is due to appear in court June 24.

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Ryan Boyajian, who appears in the show as the fiancé of “RHOC” star Jennifer Pedranti, is allegedly the mystery figure to whom Mizuhara wired millions of dollars to pay his gambling debts from Ohtani’s account.

Boyajian was simply referred to as “Associate 1” in a federal criminal complaint against Mizuhara that accuses him of stealing at least $17 million from Ohtani.

Mizuhara Takes Plea Deal

On Wednesday, Mizuhara agreed to plead guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of subscribing to a false tax return. The interpreter has admitted wiring “at least $15 million” to an account in Boyajian’s name, per court documents. The reality star received the money on behalf of California-based illegal bookmaker Matthew Bowyer, who is referred to as “Bookmaker 1” in the complaint.

Boyajian would then forward the money to marker accounts at Resorts World and California’s Pechanga Casino. The men withdrew the funds in chips, gambled with them, and cashed out what was left.

Bowyer lost $7.9 million gambling at Resorts World from June 2022 to October 2023, according to ABC News sources.

The bookie was the target of a wider investigation by federal agents in Southern California into illegal sports betting and the possible washing of profits at Las Vegas casinos.

Another target was Wayne Nix, a former minor league baseball player who provided illegal bookmaking services for pro players of several sports.

Sibella Sentenced

On Wednesday, former Resorts World and MGM Grand president Scott Sibella was sentenced to one year’s probation and a $9,500 fine for violating the Bank Secrecy Act, an anti-money laundering statute. Sibella failed to write out a suspicious transaction report when Nix paid a marker at the MGM Grand with $120K in cash. He also allowed the bookie to gamble despite knowing the source of his funds came from illegal bookmaking.

Nix is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to federal tax and gambling charges. Bowyer is yet to be charged with any crime.

“He is not a bookmaker or a sub-bookie,” Katzman added.

Mizuhara faces up to 30 years in prison, despite his plea deal.

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UEFA’s appointment of Felix Zwayer has raised questions about the referee’s suitability to take charge of such a high-profile game. Zwayer was banned from soccer for six months as a result of the scandal, which erupted in his native Germany, back in 2005.

In January of that year, Zwayer’s fellow referee Robert Hoyzer confessed to fixing and betting on games. Hoyzer, who mainly oversaw matches in Germany’s second tier, admitted he had accepted bribes to manipulate games from a gambling syndicate with links to organized crime.

Phantom Penalties

When Hamburg traveled to non-league Paderborn in August 2004 in the first round of the German Cup, few expected anything but a victory for the Bundesliga team. But when Hoyzer awarded the underdog two phantom penalties and sent off Hamburg’s Belgian forward Emile Mpenza, the game would end up a 4-2 win for the home team.

Despite being among the group of referees that reported its suspicions about Hoyzer, Zwayer was also implicated. According to the subsequent investigation by the DFB, Zwayer accepted €300 from Hoyzer before a game between SV Wuppertal and Werder Bremen in May 2004. Zwayer was a linesman in the game, which Hoyzer was refereeing.

The payoff was for Zwayer to “avoid critical situations for Wuppertaler SV as an assistant referee,” according to the DFB.

Swept Under Carpet

However, the sporting body could find no evidence that Zwayer had directly manipulated the game and acknowledged his contribution to the investigation of the case. He received a six-month ban from soccer.

Hoyzer was banned for life from having anything to do with the sport and was handed a prison sentence of two years and five months.

The allegation flared up again in 2021 when English midfielder Jude Bellingham, then playing for Borussia Dortmund, criticized Zwayer’s performance after a game between his team and Bayern Munich.

“If you give a referee, who has, you know, match-fixed before, the biggest game in Germany, what do you expect?” Bellingham asked.

The player was fined €40K by the DFB for the remark.

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Appearing this week at the 2024 Associated Press Sports Editors Commissioners Meetings where top officials from MLB, the NBA, the NHL, NASCAR, the WNBA, MLS, and the NWSL discuss relevant topics affecting their sports, Manfred made a statement that left some perplexed. During a discussion about recent sports betting scandals, most notably the case involving Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter stealing millions of dollars from his boss to illegally gamble on sports, Manfred declared it wasn’t baseball’s intent to embrace sports betting.

We were kind of dragged into legalized sports betting as a litigant in a case that ended up in the Supreme Court,” Manfred said. “Having said that, I recognize that when we were involved in that litigation, that one of the advantages of legalization is it’s a heck of a lot easier to monitor what’s going on than it is with an illegal operation.”

Manfred was referencing MLB’s involvement in Christie/Murphy, et al. v. NCAA, et. al, the legal challenge brought by New Jersey that reached the US Supreme Court. In May 2018, the high court ruled that a federal law called the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) violated anti-commandeering interpretations of the US Constitution.

The landmark ruling paved the way for states to determine their laws on sports gambling. Since then, nearly 40 states and Washington, DC have authorized gambling on professional and college sports.

Game Integrity

For years, the NCAA and the Big Four pro sports leagues fought to keep single-game sports betting confined to Nevada. After the 2018 decision, the leagues and the governing body of college sports embraced such wagering after it was determined to increase fan engagement and overall interest in their respective sports.

Manfred acknowledges that sports betting has helped television and streaming ratings. The league has invested heavily in integrity and compliance monitoring to assure fans that its games remain free of outside influence.

A major hurdle in that goal is player props, bets that involve a single player’s performance. Manfred says MLB has joined the NCAA in opposing player prop bets.

“When we lobby in states, there are always certain types of bets that we have lobbied against,” Manfred explained.

Manfred says legal sports betting allows the league to more easily monitor betting activity for suspicious wagering. To date, no MLB player has been found or accused of having thrown a game.

Dragged Into All In

MLB might have been “dragged in” to the sports betting case, but the league has certainly embraced sports gambling since 2018. Most teams today have official betting sponsors, and the league itself does too.

In November 2018, just months after the SCOTUS decision, MLB inked its first gaming industry deal with MGM Resorts for it to become its “official gaming partner.” MLB later named FanDuel and DraftKings as the league’s two “official sports betting partners.”

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So wrote Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Special Agent Christopher Adkins in a 2023 email to two colleagues investigating underage gambling on college campuses.

Adkins was right that the case would bring attention to the DCI’s Sports Wagering Unit, but not in the way he might have hoped.

In a lawsuit filed last week in the Des Moines federal court, 26 Iowa and Iowa State athletes claim their rights were violated and reputations tarnished during the DCI investigation, which obtained evidence using warrantless searches.

DCI agents misused geolocation tech provider GeoComply’s Kibana tracking software to spy on betting habits without reasonable suspicion that a crime was taking place, per the lawsuit. This was an illegal violation of the plaintiffs’ Fourth Amendment rights, it asserts.

Geo-Snooping

GeoComply made Kibana available to law enforcement agencies for use in detecting “hotspots” – areas where a large concentration of bets was occurring – as part of an effort to combat fraud.

When the company discovered the DCI was using it to snoop on college dorms, it kicked the agency off the platform.

“Many [plaintiffs] have had their athletic careers ended due to the State of Iowa’s unconstitutional use of GeoComply’s Kibana software. It is our hope that through the civil action, we can help these young men put their lives back on track and gain a measure of justice for the violation of their rights,” states the lawsuit.

‘So Be It’

A slew of internal DCI emails obtained by lawyers for the athletes reveal that the agency’s motive for launching the investigation was to improve the status of its Sports Wagering Unit in the eyes of “the powers that be.”

They also reveal the contempt the DCI held for the athletes and their careers.

“If they get suspended or get a scholarship taken away, so be it,” Adkins wrote on February 2, 2023.

It wasn’t until a month later that the idea the investigation might be unconstitutional was brought up.

It’s going to be a controversial issue for us to be able to articulate what leads an investigator to search specific locations for accounts based on the absence of a complaint or lead,” wrote special agent Chris Swigart in an email to special agent Troy Nelson.

“Fourth amendment issues are going to be challenged when we are arbitrarily picking locations we want to randomly locate account information from,” Swigart added.

It appears that the issue had not occurred to Nelson, who replied: “Hmmm, very interesting. Yeah, I’ll have to think through that.”

Charges Dismissed

The investigation?led to charges?against 25 athletes and student managers, largely for underage gambling. Several athletes were also charged with felony identity theft because some bet using accounts that belonged to other people, such as their mothers or girlfriends.

Most pleaded guilty,?paid a fine, and faced the consequences for their careers. But some, like Eyioma Uwazurike, who was drafted from Iowa Sate to the Denver Broncos, before being suspended indefinitely by the NFL, fought the charges.

All remaining charges were dismissed without prejudice by a state court judge on March 1, 2024.

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Sibella, who was fired by Resorts World in September 2023 for violating company policy, pleaded guilty in January to a federal charge of violating the Bank Secrecy Act in relation to the same allegation. He is scheduled to be sentenced next week.

The NGCB initially fumbled the ball on the Sibella case. Presented with information of his links to bookies, the regulator cleared the casino executive last year, finding the allegations to be “unsubstantiated.”

Investigation Widens

Having missed a trick, the NGCB has now joined a sprawling federal investigation into the possible laundering of proceeds from illegal bookmaking at Las Vegas casinos. This has widened to include Matt Bowyer, who received $16 million from the bank account of Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, allegedly stolen by Ohtani’s interpreter, Ippei Mizhura.

The first count of the NGCB complaint against Sibella alleges he failed to file a suspicious transaction report (STR) in 2018 when bookie Wayne Nix paid a marker at the MGM Grand with $120K in cash.

The second count alleges he allowed Nix to gamble despite knowing that the source of his funds came from illegal bookmaking. The third alleges he violated MGM Resorts anti-money laundering (AML) protocols by committing the first two offenses. The complaint could result in Sibella losing his gaming license and paying a fine of up to $750K.

Nix, a former minor league baseball pitcher who provided illegal bookmaking to professional players of several sports, has pleaded guilty to illegal gambling and is awaiting sentencing.

Scott Sibella’s ‘Undercover Weekends’

At the MGM Grand, Sibella periodically hosted “Scott Sibella Undercover Weekends.” These were invite-only events for VIP gamblers, so called because of his 2011 appearance on the CBS show Undercover Boss. Both Nix and Bowyer were invited to these events as Sibella’s guests, according to the complaint.

Nix was also comped golf trips with senior executives, which aimed to encourage him to continue gambling at the casino.

Ohtani’s Money Filtered Through Casinos

An investigation by ESPN, published Tuesday, found that the money wired from Ohtani’s bank account ended up at casinos in Las Vegas and California, including Resorts World.

Sources told ESPN that Mizhura wired the money to an associate of Bowyer who would forward it to his marker accounts at Resorts World and Northern California’s Pechanga Casino. The men withdrew the funds in chips, gambled with them, and cashed out what was left.

Bowyer lost $7.9 million at Resorts World from June 2022 to October 2023, according to ESPN sources.

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In a civil lawsuit filed Friday in the Des Moines federal court, 26 Iowa and Iowa State athletes claim their rights were violated and reputations tarnished during an investigation by Iowa’s Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) that used warrantless searches.

Because of the DCI’s “illegal” investigation, the athletes’ lives, collegiate careers, and future opportunities were “severely upended,” according to the lawsuit.

Among those athletes was Eyioma Uwazurike. After playing for Iowa State from 2017 to 2021, Uwazurike was drafted by the Denver Broncos.

On March 1, 2024, a state court judge dismissed all charges against Uwazurike without prejudice.

Unconstitutional Searches

The problem was DCI agents were using geolocation tech provider GeoComply’s Kibana tracking software to pry into students’ betting habits on college campuses.

GeoComply allows online gambling operators to ensure they are only taking bets from users located within the borders of the state in which they’re licensed. The company made Kibana available to law enforcement agencies for use in detecting “hotspots” – areas where a large concentration of bets was occurring.

He did this, by his own admission, without a warrant or any evidence that underage gambling was occurring, according to his deposition at the criminal trial.

DCI Banned from Kibana

Law enforcement must establish “probable cause” – a reasonable suspicion that a crime has been committed before they can obtain a search warrant. Otherwise, they’re in violation of a suspect’s Fourth Amendment rights, which protects individuals against unreasonable searches.

When GeoComply discovered the DCI was misusing Kibana, the company kicked the agency off the platform.

DCI agents also violated some of the defendants’ Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination, according to the lawsuit. Some who were later charged were told during interviews, falsely, that they weren’t under criminal investigation and weren’t read their Miranda rights.

‘Get Lives Back on Track’

Most athletes pleaded guilty, paid a fine, and dealt with the consequences for their careers. Uwazurike, along with fellow Cyclones football players Isaiah Lee and Jirehl Brock, and wrestler Paniro Johnson, fought the charges and were successful.

The lives of these young men have been disrupted and altered in ways still yet to be fully seen,” the athletes’ attorneys said in a statement.

“Many of them have had their athletic careers ended, due to the State of Iowa’s unconstitutional use of GeoComply’s Kibana software. It is our hope that through the civil action, we can help these young men put their lives back on track and gain a measure of justice for the violation of their rights,” he added.

The lawsuit names the State of Iowa, DCI director Paul Feddersen, DCI assistant director David Jobes, DCI special agent for sports wagering Troy Nelson, and special agent Brian Sanger, among others. It seeks unspecified monetary damages from the state.

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The gaming regulator is a little late to the party. Last year, the board cleared former Resorts World President Scott Sibella of allegations of connections to convicted illegal bookie “Fat” Dave Stroj.

Stroj had an interest in a taco restaurant at Resorts World and had been gambling at the casino and others in Las Vegas in violation of a supervised release clause.

Egg on Face

The board ended up with egg on their faces six months later when the feds subpoenaed Resorts World demanding records of cash and wire transactions. Resorts World fired Sibella shortly after for violating company policy.

In January, Sibella pleaded guilty in a federal court to violating the Bank Secrecy Act. This was because he failed to report that another bookie, Wayne Nix, had paid a marker at the MGM Grand with $120K in cash in 2018 when Sibella was president of that casino.

Sibella admitted that he knew of Nix’s profession and deliberately did not ask the source of the funds because he would have had to stop him from gambling.

Sibella is scheduled to be sentenced May 8. Nix, a former minor league baseball pitcher who provided illegal bookmaking to professional players of several sports, has pleaded guilty to illegal gambling and awaits sentencing.

MGM and the Cosmopolitan entered into nonprosecution agreements with federal agents over Nix’s gambling and paid a $7.45 million settlement between them. Resorts World hasn’t been accused of wrongdoing.

Ohtani Interpreter Scandal

Now, the investigation has widened to focus on other illegal bookies and whether proceeds have been laundered at Las Vegas casinos. Several sources within the gaming industry told The Current that the NGCB had reached out to them as part of the probe and appears to be assisting federal agents with their inquiries.

One focus of the investigation is Matt Bowyer, an alleged bookmaker and Las Vegas gambler who received $16 million from the bank account of LA Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani.

The money was allegedly transferred by Ohtani’s interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, who was facing massive gambling debts and has been charged with bank fraud.

Mizuhara started betting with Bowyer in September 2021, placing approximately 19K bets between December 2021 and January 2024, according to prosecutors.

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Rodgers was banned from pro football a year ago after a league probe found that the then-Indianapolis Colts player placed bets through a legal online sportsbook in Indiana. The Colts cut Rodgers after his suspension was handed down. The Eagles signed the free agent in August.

Rodgers’ reinstatement allows him to immediately resume all team activities in Philadelphia. The Eagles and the rest of the NFL are readying for the NFL Draft that begins on Thursday night.

An investigation last year determined that Rodgers made over 100 bets on NFL games, including a prop bet on Colts running back Jonathan Taylor that won $1,000. Rodgers was never determined to have thrown or tried to fix a game, but he did bet on his team winning and Taylor rushing for more yards than the total oddsmakers had for his over/under.

Rodgers’ Explanation

Rodgers played critical minutes for the Colts during his three seasons. He played 45 games in Indy in which he recorded 90 tackles and three interceptions. He also returned a kickoff 101 yards for a touchdown.

Rodgers told ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” in February that he wasn’t gambling on NFL games. He alleges that he instead placed bets for family and friends living in Florida where sports betting wasn’t yet legal.

I was just trying to help out family and friends knowing that it wasn’t legal at the time in Florida and it was in Indiana,” Rodgers said.

Pressed as to whether he ever bet on sports before, Rodgers answered, “No.” He also told “OTL” that he doesn’t have a gambling problem.

Rodgers acknowledged that, in hindsight, his willingness to place the bets on behalf of his friends and family “was a huge mistake.”

Game Integrity?

Legal sports betting in the US is more widespread than ever, and that’s heightened concerns about game integrity among officials of the “big four” — the NFL, MLB, the NBA, and the NHL.

Betting scandals have also recently rocked MLB, most noteworthy being the controversy involving Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter who allegedly stole millions of dollars from his boss to fund his sports betting activity.

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The NBA revealed Wednesday that Jontay Porter, 24, most recently part of the Toronto Raptors organization, has been banned from the professional basketball league for life after he shared confidential information with sports bettors and tried to fix at least two games for the benefit of gamblers he associated with.

There is nothing more important than protecting the integrity of NBA competition for our fans, our teams, and everyone associated with our sport, which is why Jontay Porter’s blatant violations of our game rules are being met with the most severe punishment,” said NBA commissioner Adam Silver.

“While legal sports betting creates transparency that helps identify suspicious or abnormal activity, this matter also raises important issues about the sufficiency of the regulatory framework currently in place, including the types of bets offered on our games and players,” Silver continued. “Working closely with all relevant stakeholders across the industry, we will continue to work diligently to safeguard our league and game.”

Game-Fixing

Billed as a “two-way player” because, this season, he switched back-and-forth between the NBA Raptors and the franchise’s G League development affiliate, Raptors 905, Porter played a total of just 37 NBA games during his two-year professional career.

Between January and March 2024, an NBA investigation determined that Porter made at least 13 bets on NBA games using a friend’s online sportsbook account. His bets ranged from $15 to $22K, and he won $21,965 on the action.

The probe found that Porter bet on the Raptors losing at least once. NBA players are prohibited from betting on NBA games regardless of whether they’re playing in the game.

A more serious infraction arose after a March 20 game against the Sacramento Kings in which Porter disclosed confidential information about his health to an individual he knew to be an NBA bettor. That bettor subsequently risked $80K on Porter underperforming.

The bet won $1.1 million after Porter exited the game after only a few minutes. He reportedly told his coach he felt ill and couldn’t continue playing.

Because the large wager seemed suspicious, DraftKings refused to pay out the win and instead notified the relevant authorities about possible game-fixing.

Player prop bets on the collegiate level are sternly opposed by the NCAA, as such wagers have been determined to increase the harassment of student-athletes. The NBA might soon take a similar stance after seeing how a player like Porter can singlehandedly jeopardize the integrity of the sport.

Porter is the younger brother of Michael Porter Jr., who plays for the NBA Denver Nuggets. The older Porter brother won the 2023 NBA Finals.

Federal Investigation

The NBA said the investigation into Jontay Porter’s alleged criminal activity is ongoing and the league is sharing its findings with federal authorities, including the Department of Justice and FBI.

The NBA has shared and will continue to share information with federal prosecutors about this matter,” the league statement said.

If it’s determined that Porter was paid off by the rogue sports bettors, he could face an array of federal charges, including wire fraud.

Before his NBA career, Porter said he bet “millions” on sports via a VIP account with FanDuel. Porter joins just 19 others on the NBA’s lifetime ban list.

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The league is currently investigating suspicious betting patterns surrounding two games in which Porter appeared to underperform earlier this year. After both games, gamblers betting the under on Porter three-pointers were the biggest winners among all NBA prop bets, according to DraftKings.

“I have an enormous range of discipline available to me,” Silver said Wednesday at a meeting of the league’s board of governors. “It’s a cardinal sin what he’s accused of in the?NBA. The ultimate extreme option I have is to ban him from the game. That’s the level of authority I have here because there’s nothing more serious.”

Spot-Fixing Probe

Silver offered no update on the investigation, other than it was “ongoing.” It’s believed the league is looking into whether there is evidence of “spot-fixing,” where players manipulate not the outcome of a game, but aspects within it that can be wagered on as props or of an exchange of insider information for betting purposes.

The second game was played on March 20 against the Sacramento Kings – again, a loss for the Raptors, 123-89. This time, Porter only played three minutes after complaining of feeling ill, managing one missed shot and two rebounds.

Porter has averaged 4.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 14 minutes per game over 26 games. He hasn’t played since the launch of the investigation.

Silver Bucked the Trend?

In a 2014 op-ed for The New York Times, Silver was the first major league president to declare his support for legal and regulated sports betting, breaking decades of fierce opposition that was rooted in integrity concerns. Silver wrote that “sports betting should be brought out of the underground and into the sunlight where it can be appropriately monitored and regulated.”

Today, sports betting is a big money-spinner for the NBA, which is projected to make?$167 million?in gambling-related revenue this season through its relationship with casinos and sportsbooks.

On Wednesday, Silver told the NBA board that the controversy surrounding Portner hasn’t shaken his belief in regulated markets.

“I mean, this is not new that there’s unsavory behavior, even illegal behavior, around sports betting,” Silver said. “I guess my point is that to the extent it’s going to exist, if you have a regulated environment, you’re going to have a better chance of detecting it than you would if all the bets were placed illegally.”

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It’s believed the investigation is focusing on two games involving Porter. The first was the January 26 game against the LA Clippers, which the Raptors lost, 127-107. The second is the March 20 game against the Sacramento Kings — again a loss for the Raptors, 123-89.

On both occasions, Porter exited early. He played four minutes of the first game after a reoccurrence of an existing eye injury, and just three minutes of the second after complaining of feeling ill.

Taking the Under

In the Clippers game, Porter, who averages 14 minutes per game, totaled no points, three rebounds, and one assist. In the Kings game, Porter managed one missed shot and two rebounds. Porter is averaging 4.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 26 games.

After both games, DraftKings said gamblers betting the under on Porter three-pointers were the biggest winners among all NBA prop bets.

The player, who wasn’t with the team on Monday due to “personal reasons,” hasn’t been accused of wrongdoing.

But the NBA will investigate whether there is evidence of spot-fixing where players manipulate not the outcome of a game, but aspects within the game that can be wagered upon, or the exchange of insider information for betting purposes.

Raptors coach Darko Rajakovi? told the Associated Press he learned of the news shortly before the team’s game on Monday night.

“I never doubt injuries. I never doubt honesty from players,” Rajakovi? said. “Obviously, I’ve never had a situation like this before.”

Negative Press

Advocates for sports betting regulation in the US will hope this doesn’t develop into another scandal. That’s after a slew of recent negative headlines involving sports figures and betting violations, from Iowa college athletes to Alabama baseball coaches.

Then there is Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter, who is accused of stealing millions from the Dodgers star to wager with an illegal bookmaker.

“In general, it is important to note that one of the many benefits of legal and regulated sports betting is that sports betting operators identify and report suspicious activity, and the integrity of sport is therefore protected in a manner that does not exist in the illegal market.”

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Schuster’s was the final prosecution resulting from an Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) probe that ensnared 25 Iowa college athletes on similar charges. It has been widely criticized for the methods used to gather evidence.

Warrantless Searches

The cases against six athletes facing more serious felony identity theft charges for gambling on their girlfriends’ or relatives’ accounts were withdrawn earlier this month by prosecutors in Story County.

Schuster, who was prosecuted in Johnson County, received the same penalty as the 18 others who pleaded guilty to underage gambling charges.

As part of his plea deal, Schuster admitted to placing a bet in August 2020, when he was 18 years old. He also placed around 2,000 bets on FanDuel from February 2021 to February 2023. These included wagers on 10 University of Iowa men’s basketball games while he was student manager, according to the original criminal complaint.

Kicked-Off Kibana

According to defense lawyers in the Story County cases, the DCI gained access to geolocation tech provider GeoComply’s Kibana tracking software.

This was part of a “purely administrative” investigation. The probe was into whether sites like DraftKings and FanDuel were ensuring that bets were being ring-fenced inside the state in compliance with state gambling law.

GeoComply cut the DCI’s access to its software in January for “exceeding the intended outlined scope of its Kibana access-and-use privileges,” according to court documents.

Liberties ‘Infringed’

Meanwhile, DCI Special Agent Mark Ludwick testified in a pretrial deposition to defense attorneys. He said he told Iowa State defensive lineman Isaiah Lee before an interview that he wouldn’t face criminal prosecution. After Lee admitted to placing bets in the ensuing interview, Ludwick said he was congratulated by his superior, Special Agent in Charge Troy Nelson, for obtaining “a confession.”

The DCI has defended its investigation, claiming it did nothing wrong. But others aren’t buying it.

“Basic liberties were infringed upon,” Iowa wrestling coach Tom Brands told The Des Moines Register earlier this month. “That shouldn’t happen in this country. It shouldn’t happen in the state of Iowa.”

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Cyclones football players Isaiah Lee, Jirehl Brock, and Eyioma Uwazurike, and wrestler Paniro Johnson were charged last year, along with 21 other Iowa college athletes, with offenses related to underage betting.

Last week, lawyers for the four defendants filed a motion to suppress evidence. They said it was obtained via warrantless searches conducted by Iowa’s Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI).

DCI ‘Misused’ GeoComply Software

Defense attorneys alleged that the DCI had used geolocation tech provider GeoComply’s Kibana tracking software to pry into students’ betting habits at an Iowa State dorm. The accusation was made in new filings submitted to the Story County District Court.

This had been done without a warrant or “any tips, complaints, or evidence that underage gambling was occurring,” the lawyers wrote.

GeoComply provides its technology to online gambling operators to “ring-fence” betting within a state’s borders to ensure they comply with local law.

Last month, the company kicked the DCI off its software for “exceeding the intended outlined scope of its Kibana access-and-use privileges,” according to court documents.

“Due to this newly discovered evidence, the State no longer believes further prosecution in this matter is in the interests of justice,” prosecutors wrote Friday.

Probable Cause

Law enforcement officers must establish “probable cause” – a reasonable suspicion that a crime has been committed — to obtain a search warrant. Otherwise, they could be in violation of a suspect’s Fourth Amendment rights, which protects individuals against unreasonable searches.

Defense lawyers also claimed DCI agents violated some of the defendants’ Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination. That’s because the individuals were told, falsely, that they weren’t under criminal investigation during interviews and weren’t read their Miranda rights.

The coercive conduct and promises of leniency by the officers make any statements made involuntary, against free will, and contrary to Defendant’s constitutional rights,” according to defense filings.

ESPN reports that the four athletes, none of whom are currently playing for Iowa State, have been advised by their attorneys to pursue legal action against the state.

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The investigation led to charges against 25 athletes and student managers. These were largely for underage gambling and identity theft, because some players bet using accounts that belonged to other people, such as their mothers or girlfriends.

Now, lawyers for some of the players want evidence gathered using GeoComply’s Kibana software to be thrown out of court. That’s because it amounted to unconstitutional “warrantless searches.”

‘Warrantless Searches’

GeoComply technology allows online gambling operators to ensure they are only taking bets from users located within the borders of the state in which they’re licensed.

Presumably, the tech company initially agreed to share its technology with law enforcement because it can help tackle online crime, such as identity fraud and money laundering, through geolocation detection.

In a previous filing, Van Plumb — who represents Iowa State defensive lineman Isaiah Lee and defensive end Eyioma Uwazurike — accused DCI agent Brian Sanger of employing AI technology to place a GeoFence around the students’ dorm. He did this without a warrant or “any tips, complaints, or evidence that underage gambling was occurring,” Plumb wrote.

Law enforcement officers must establish “probable cause” to obtain a search warrant if they want to avoid violating the Fourth Amendment, which protects Americans against unreasonable searches.

‘Rights Violated’

Lawyers for the students also accuse the DCI of violating their clients’ Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination. That’s because many were told, falsely, that they were not under criminal investigation when questioned by agents. They also failed to read them their Miranda rights.

The coercive conduct and promises of leniency by the officers make any statements made involuntary, against free will, and contrary to Defendant’s constitutional rights,” the lawyers wrote.

Last month, a DCI spokesperson defended the agency’s use of GeoComply software and the evidence it gathered through using it.

“The evidence was obtained in a constitutionally permissible manner,” the spokesperson said. “Ultimately, it is up to the courts to decide. We want to reassure Iowans that the Department always strives to scrupulously uphold the laws and constitutions of the United States and the State of Iowa.”

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As Bellagio Lake gets remade into a hub for national CBS Sports coverage — including the Luxor? wrapped as a giant Dorito — the NFL and Las Vegas might seem to many like a natural fit. But until 2015, the idea of Las Vegas ever even hosting a professional sports team seemed like a foolish bet to take.

Size Matters

Though Sin City had been a major tourist destination since the 1950s, its local population was the first stumbling block. Clark County wouldn’t even boast half a million residents until 1982. That wasn’t considered nearly enough of a home base by any of the four major professional sports leagues.

So, like many other residents of secondary US cities, Las Vegans learned not to set their hopes any higher than the minor leagues.

However, the population of the Las Vegas metropolitan region reached 1 million in 1995, then doubled that by 2009, growing at the third-fastest rate in the country. Suddenly, Las Vegas was one of the largest U.S. cities without a major league sports team.

And that’s because population wasn’t the only issue.

Don’t Bet on It

The pro leagues simply wouldn’t consider Las Vegas for a relocation or expansion team. That’s because it seemed too risky to place a team where sports betting was not only legal, but part of the community’s lifeblood. Since the mid-1990s, dozens of pro-league presidents and team owners have uttered some variation of the “it’ll never happen” quote.

That’s because sports fans can forgive bigotry, harassment, and even some serious crimes committed by players and coaches. But when it comes to betting on the outcomes of events in which they participate, even the appearance of impropriety was a line that couldn’t be crossed. It’s why the names Pete Rose and the Chicago Black Sox have never exited the public consciousness.

Of all the pro leagues, the NFL had the toughest stance toward Las Vegas.

Before the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the federal ban on sports betting in 2018, the NFL prohibited its players from wagering on any sports games. That meant an active player couldn’t even visit Las Vegas and place a bet on a March Madness game or bet on the NBA playoffs.

“The NFL cannot be compensated in damages for the harm sports gambling poses to the goodwill, character, and integrity of NFL football and to the fundamental bonds of loyalty and devotion between fans and team that the League seeks to maintain.”

That’s what future NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, then its senior VP of broadcasting, wrote in 2012 testimony for a lawsuit to block then-New Jersey governor Chris Christie’s bid to legalize sports betting in his state.

A Different Game

The tide began changing in 2015. That’s when Raiders owner Mark Davis now admits to secretly meeting with Bo Bernhard, then director of the UNLV International Gaming Institute. That meeting resulted in a white paper Davis took to the league to make his case for Las Vegas as an NFL town.

NFL owners approved the Raiders’ plans to relocate from Oakland two years later. That same year, the Las Vegas Golden Knights NHL team proved that professional sports could survive in Las Vegas without a betting scandal and thrive.

The pro leagues’ sudden about-face on Las Vegas also resulted from changing political and technological landscapes.

After the Supreme Court decision, states beyond Nevada lined up to legalize sports betting. It’s legal in 38 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. With betting now just a couple of clicks of a smartphone away for most adults, Las Vegas and its casinos no longer pose the same unique brand of existential threat.

“It was our job to make sure we react to the world around us,” David Highhill, the NFL’s general manager for sports betting, told ABC News.

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That means any college that wants to employ the disgraced coach must first justify to the NCAA why he deserves to be hired. He would then be suspended from baseball for the first five seasons of his employment. The order all but precludes Bohannon from coaching college baseball in the near future.

Bohannon was fired by Alabama in early May following reports of suspicious betting activity around his team’s April 28 game against LSU in Baton Rouge, LA.

The Ohio Casino Control Commission issued an “emergency order” to its licensed sportsbooks to immediately stop taking bets on University of Alabama baseball.

Incompetent Accomplice

The NCAA confirmed Thursday that Bohannon informed Bert Neff, an obscure youth baseball coach from Mooresville, Ind., of an injury to Alabama pitcher Luke Holman that ruled him out for the game against LSU. Alabama lost the game, 8-6.

Had it not been for Neff’s conspicuous ineptitude, the world may have never heard of the conspiracy. Shortly before the game, Neff approached the sportsbook at Ohio’s Great American Ballpark, home to the Cincinnati Reds, and attempted to place $100K on LSU.

Staff were immediately suspicious because the market on the game had received very little traffic, and the proposed bet was far in excess of the sportsbook’s limit on NCAA games.

In an effort to persuade staff to accept the bet, Neff insisted that it was “for sure going to win,” adding that “if only you guys knew what I knew,” according to NCAA filings. Unable to contain himself, Neff proceeded to show sportsbook staff the messages from Bohannon about the injury to Holman.

“Holman is out for sure … lemme know when I can tell LSU … Hurry,” Bohannon had written, according to the filings.

Federal Charges for Neff

On Wednesday, Neff pleaded guilty to federal obstruction charges in connection with the incident — specifically, destroying evidence, tampering with witnesses, and providing false statements to the FBI. He faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250K.

According to federal court documents, Neff placed an additional bet on the game with a competing sportsbook and shared the information with at least four other gamblers.

Bohannon, who hasn’t spoken publicly about the incident, had been Alabama’s coach since 2018, earning an annual salary of $500K.

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The charges stem from Sibella’s term as president of the MGM Grand from 2010-19. That’s when, according to his plea agreement, he allowed former minor league baseball player Wayne Nix — a person known by Sibella to operate an illegal sports-betting business — to gamble at his casino violating anti-money-laundering laws.

I am pleased to have this investigation and its findings reaching a conclusion,” Sibella said in a statement emailed to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “I take full responsibility for my actions and inactions, but I must make clear I took no action for my personal benefit or inurement.”

The MGM Grand and the Cosmopolitan Las Vegas, a resort purchased by MGM Resorts in 2022, have also agreed to pay $7.5M in fines for Nix’s illegal activities.

Nix’s ring operated for almost two decades, employing former pro athletes as bookies and boasting clients including active NFL and MLB players. Sibella’s friendship with Nix allowed him to grow the illegal business, prosecutors said.

According to his plea agreement, Sibella comped Nix hotel stays and golf trips with high rollers and senior MGM Grand executives from August 2017 to February 2019. During these trips, Nix recruited new sports bettors.

In 2022, Nix pleaded guilty to conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business and filing a false tax return. Facing up to eight years in prison, he is scheduled to be sentenced on March 6.

Gaming Not Over?

Despite the hard time he faces, Sibella concluded his email to the R-J by stating his desire to remain in the casino industry.

As this process comes to a conclusion, I look forward to continuing to provide my knowledge, skills and insights to support the continued growth, evolution, and professionalism of the gaming industry,” he wrote.

Resorts World owner, the Genting Group, hired Sibella as the property’s president in 2019. He steered the unfinished $4.3 billion project to completion two years later, bringing aboard the Hilton, Conrad, and Crockfords brands — and their vast databases — in the process.

According to Sibella, he was fired in September 2023, three days after informing Genting officials about the Justice Department’s investigation. Resorts World said that he “violated company policies and the terms of his employment.”?

Before presiding over the MGM Grand, Sibella also served as president of The Mirage. Before that, he was an executive at Treasure Island, Tropicana, and the Golden Nugget.

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Van Plumb is the attorney for former Iowa State defensive lineman Isaiah Lee, who faces aggravated misdemeanor charges after betting against his team in a 2021 football game. The charges specifically relate to Lee’s alleged efforts to conceal his identity while placing the bets on DraftKings using his mother’s account.

Plumb also represents the Cyclones’ Eyioma Uwazurike, who allegedly used an account registered under his girlfriend’s name to place bets.

AI Geofence

Plumb accuses DCI agent Brian Sanger of employing AI technology to place a GeoFence around a University of Iowa dormitory in an attempt to gather evidence about underage gambling. He did this without a warrant or “any tips, complaints, or evidence that underage gambling was occurring,” according to the filing.

Law enforcement officers must establish “probable cause” to obtain a search warrant. This means there must be a reasonable suspicion that an identified suspect has committed a crime or that a search would turn up evidence.

Plumb notes that two of Sanger’s superior officers initially pumped the brakes on the investigation before changing their minds and allowing it to proceed.

‘Can’t Remember’

During Sanger’s deposition last week, the agent admitted he could “not remember why he decided to conduct the warrantless searches, but [said] that he was concerned about things such as people infiltrating Iowa’s sports team to gain insider information or match-fixing,” according to Plumb’s filing.

“Special Agent Sanger chose to use software that allowed him to access people’s private information without a warrant, which raises Constitutional issues involving illegal searches and seizures,” Plumb said in an e-mailed statement to WHO-TV.

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In October, the player was banned from soccer for 10 months, just four months after his high-profile move to Newcastle. That’s after he admitted to betting on games, including those he participated in, via illegal gambling sites, a violation of Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and English Football Association (FA) rules.

Newcastle paid ￡55million (US$70 million) for the 23-year-old in the summer, the highest ever for an Italian soccer player. But club executives might have thought twice if they knew he came with baggage, or at least demanded a discount. The club has refused to comment on whether it intends to take legal action against Milan.

Pioli told the media Tuesday he had no inkling of any problem and still believes Newcastle got a “great deal.”

No, I didn’t know anything about Sandro’s problem,” Pioli said. “He was polite, respected, and gave respect to others, and was a sensible boy. Even if I think I have a close, open relationship with a player, I don’t only talk about football. But what they do outside, I don’t know everything about them.”

Pioli was speaking at a press conference ahead of Milan’s Champions League clash at Newcastle on Wednesday night.

Organized Crime Connection?

Tonali’s gambling habits were uncovered during an investigation by Italian police into illegal online gambling with links to organized crime.

Investigators questioned Tonali and fellow Italian international Nicolo Zaniolo at Italy’s training camp on October 12 as the team prepared for a crucial Euro 2024 qualifier against England.

Zaniolo, who plays for the EPL’s Aston Villa, denied betting on games. He did admit to playing online poker and blackjack, although he told police he didn’t know the sites he used were illegal.

‘Traumatic’ Investigation

Both players were sent home from the training camp and haven’t played for their country since. Italy’s head coach Luciano Spalletti described the experience as “traumatic.”

Also in October, Juventus midfielder Nicolò Fagioli was banned for seven months?as part of a settlement with the FIGC after breaching rules surrounding betting on matches.

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Just hours before kickoff in Albuquerque, “a large US sportsbook” contacted independent integrity monitoring firm US Integrity to report its concerns. These included the unusually large amount of money wagered on the game by numerous new accounts that had apparently been opened solely for that purpose – typically a red flag.

UNLV opened as a 10.5-point favorite. But by kickoff six days later, had jumped to a 16.5-point favorite. The Rebels easily covered the spread, thrashing the Lobos, 56-14.

Something Fishy

New Mexico fired head coach Danny Gonzales on November 26 after four seasons with the team. That decision had nothing to do with the investigation, and everything to do with the teams’ recent performance record, New Mexico athletic director Eddie Nu?ez told Action Network. Nu?ez admitted he was notified about the suspicious bets on or around November 11.

The whole staff was adamant they didn’t see anything (suspicious),” Nu?ez said. “They were all pissed off we lost so bad … We looked around and looked into it, and there was nothing different (than any other game), except getting our ass kicked.”

“The University of New Mexico is aware of an ongoing review by US Integrity of our Nov. 4, 2023 football game against UNLV,” Nu?ez said Wednesday in a more formal statement. “We are cooperating fully with the Mountain West conference. To date, there is no indication of any misconduct, and we look forward to the conclusion of the review.”

Similarly, UNLV head coach Barry Odom told Action Network he saw nothing in any player’s performance that suggested there was anything fishy going on.

College Betting Scandals

Several recent scandals have brought collegiate games, and the betting markets on them, into hard focus. These have included charges against four football players from Iowa State and three from the University of Iowa for betting on their own games.

Meanwhile, in May, the University of Alabama fired its head baseball coach, Brad Bohannon, allegedly for leaking inside information to a gambler about an injury to his star pitcher.

Many states that have legalized sports betting don’t permit wagering on NCAA games because of concerns that young, poorly paid athletes could be vulnerable to corruption.

The NCAA prohibits athletes, coaches, and staff from participating in sports wagering activities, and from “providing information to individuals involved in or associated with any type of sports wagering activities concerning intercollegiate, amateur or professional athletics competition.”

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