Overview
- Smith, 30, entered guilty pleas in Philadelphia to bribery in sporting contests, wire fraud and conspiracy, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
- Prosecutors say he held a leadership role recruiting, managing and paying players during the 2023–24 and 2024–25 seasons to ensure teams failed to cover point spreads.
- The scheme encompassed more than 39 players on over 17 Division I teams and targeted at least 29 games, with wagers in the millions and typical bribes of $10,000 to $30,000 per game.
- Investigators link the plot’s origins to attempts to fix Chinese Basketball Association games in 2022 involving former NBA guard Antonio Blakeney before it shifted to U.S. colleges.
- Smith remains free on bail with sentencing scheduled for June, and prosecutors cite messages, travel and sportsbook records as core evidence as other cases proceed.