Coppin State Player Implicated in Federal Point Shaving Case

A basketball player from Coppin State Eagles is among dozens of individuals named in a sweeping federal indictment tied to an alleged international point shaving and bribery scheme aimed at manipulating college and professional basketball games.

According to court documents, an unnamed Coppin State player was allegedly approached in March 2024 by two alleged fixers who offered money in exchange for underperforming and influencing a game against South Carolina State Bulldogs. The player was also encouraged to recruit teammates to assist with the scheme.

The game was played in Baltimore, where South Carolina State entered as a nine-point favorite. Prosecutors say the fixers placed a wager on South Carolina State to cover the spread. That bet failed when South Carolina State narrowly won 61 to 58.

Text messages included in the indictment show concern from one alleged fixer at halftime, who urged the Coppin State player to play worse. One message reportedly read, “You costing us money.” After the game, the player allegedly apologized and claimed he tried to convince teammates to ease up in the second half.

Federal investigators say the Coppin State case is part of a much larger scheme involving at least 39 college basketball players across 17 Division I programs. The indictment alleges that more than 29 games were fixed or targeted during the 2023 to 2024 and 2024 to 2025 seasons.

U.S. Attorney David Metcalf said during a press conference that those charged include current and former NCAA players and professional bettors. The FBI alleges the scheme began in September 2022 with efforts to fix professional games in China before expanding to U.S. college basketball. Players were allegedly paid between $10,000 and $30,000 per game.

“The stakes here are far higher than anything on a bet slip,” Metcalf said, calling the case a serious threat to the integrity of collegiate athletics and public trust in sports.

Coppin State Among Schools Named in International College Basketball Betting Scheme was originally published on wolbbaltimore.com