Jalen Smith was sentenced Tuesday to six years in federal prison, becoming the first person to receive a penalty in a sprawling betting scandal that prosecutors say stretched across college and professional basketball.
Smith, a former basketball trainer, apologized at the hearing and said, “My decisions have consequences, and I accept all of them.” He also said, “I was used as a pawn in this scheme.”
The case has drawn wide attention because federal authorities say it involved at least 17 universities, 29 games and more than $3 million in illicit bets. Prosecutors described Smith as one of the scheme’s lead recruiters, alleging he helped bring NCAA basketball players into games designed to underperform for professional gamblers.
How the case grew
According to prosecutors, the scheme began in the Chinese professional basketball league in 2022 before expanding to NCAA contests. The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced charges against more than two dozen people in January 2024, making the investigation one of several federal prosecutions nationwide tied to alleged criminality in sports gambling.
Earlier in 2024, Smith pleaded guilty to bribery and wire fraud charges, as well as illegally possessing a handgun. Tuesday’s sentence gives the government its first major courtroom win in a case that has been closely watched because of its size and the range of schools and games allegedly involved.
Smith’s six-year sentence now sets the tone for the rest of the case, as prosecutors continue to pursue others they say were part of the same operation.
