NCAA point-shaving scheme: Former RMU basketball player charged; Duquesne University games impacted

A former Robert Morris University men’s basketball player, Markeese Hastings, has been charged in an alleged betting scheme that rigged NCAA games.

Hastings is one of 15 current or former NCAA Division I players named in an indictment filed in federal court in Philadelphia.

Five non-players, who were considered fixers, are also charged. They are accused of recruiting players with bribes of between $10,000 and $30,000 a game.

The indictment also details games where Duquesne University’s team unknowingly played against teams where players were accepting bribes.

The indictment follows a series of NCAA investigations that led to at least 10 players receiving lifetime bans this year for bets that sometimes involved their own teams and their own performances. And the NCAA has said that at least 30 players have been investigated over gambling allegations.

More than 30 people were also charged in last year’s sprawling federal takedown of illegal gambling operations linked to professional basketball.

Robert Morris University

According to the indictment, Hastings, a forward, and two other unnamed players on the Colonials team were recruited to a point shaving scheme.

On Feb. 28, 2024, RMU played against Northern Kentucky in an NCAA men’s basketball game at the UPMC Events Center in Moon Township, the indictment says.

The fixers placed wagers with various sportsbooks totaling at least $256,000 on Northern Kentucky to cover the first-half spread, the indictment says.

Hastings and the other two players allegedly underperformed in the game’s first half, influencing the game so that Northern Kentucky would outscore RMU 42-23. The fixers subsequently won their bets, the indictment says.

In the second half, without the intentional underperformance, RMU played much better, outscoring Northern Kentucky 37-28, the indictment says. Northern Kentucky would win the game 70-60.

After the game, Hastings allegedly communicated with another defendant to arrange delivery of the bribe payments at an Indiana hotel near where RMU would soon be playing.

“Defendant Hastings texted (the fixer) to express his eagerness in continuing to participate in the point-shaving scheme: “We might as well do the next one too . . . . (this) was too easy,” the indictment reads.

On March 5, 2024, RMU played against Purdue University Fort Wayne in a postseason game in the first round of the Horizon League Basketball Championships at the Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the indictment says.

The fixers allegedly placed wagers totaling at least $50,000 on Purdue F.W. to cover the first-half spread.

Hastings and the other two players allegedly underperformed in the game’s first half, influencing the game so that Purdue would outscore RMU 46-28. The fixers subsequently won their bets, the indictment says.

In the second half, without the intentional underperformance, RMU played much better, outscoring Purdue 35-32, the indictment says. Purdue would win the game 78-63.

After the game, Hastings allegedly communicated with another defendant to arrange delivery of the bribe payments near the Chicago O’Hare Airport.

Duquesne University

According to the indictment, the Duquesne men’s basketball team played two games against teams with players who were accepting bribes.

The first game was against St. Louis University on Feb. 20, 2024. The indictment says the fixers placed wagers totaling at least $242,000 on Duquesne to cover the first-half spread.

One of the defendants allegedly purposefully underperformed in the first half, allowing Duquesne to outscore St. Louis 41-27.

St. Louis then performed much better in the second half, outscoring Duquesne 40-39, the indictment says. Duquesne won the game 80-67.

The second game was against Fordham University on Feb. 23, 2024. The indictment says the fixers placed wagers totaling at least $195,000 on Duquesne, most of which were on Duquesne to cover the full-game spread.

One of the named defendants and a teammate allegedly purposefully underperformed, scoring fewer points than their season averages.

Although Duquesne outscored Fordham in the first half, Fordham made a comeback to win 79-67, meaning the fixers who wagered on Duquesne to win the full game lost their bets, the indictment says.

Read the full indictment below:

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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