Former Abilene Christian basketball player Airion Simmons indicted in point shaving scheme
Airion Simmons, who played five seasons on the Abilene Christian University Wildcats men's basketball team, faces two federal charges for allegedly helping rig college basketball games for the benefit of sports bettors.
According to a federal indictment unsealed Thursday morning in Philadelphia, Simmons was recruited by other defendants in the case to underperform in ACU games so the team would fail to cover the point spread. Simmons, who is from Arkansas, played at Abilene Christian from 2019-2024.
Simmons has not yet entered a plea, and an attorney for him is not listed in court records.
In a statement to CBS News Texas, ACU said it "has fully cooperated with federal law enforcement and the NCAA throughout this process."
"Airion was a beloved and respected member of our campus community during his time as a student-athlete. We are praying for him as he navigates this situation. ACU remains committed to accountability, integrity and upholding the values that define our mission," the statement said.
Allegations against Airion Simmons
The first instance detailed in the indictment was on March 19, 2024. The Wildcats were playing Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in Stephenville, and prosecutors said Simmons recruited a teammate, referred to in the indictment as Person #15, to go along with the point shaving scheme. The bettors involved placed $82,000 in wagers that ACU would fail to cover the first-half and full-game point spreads.
TAMU-CC was favored in the matchup, with the first half point spread at 2 points and the full game spread at 3.5 points.
The bets were unsuccessful, as ACU outscored TAMU-CC the first half and won the game.
After the game, the bettors texted with Simmons about the losses and Simmons blamed Person #15 for not underperforming like he agreed to do, according to the indictment. Simmons then asked for another chance for the following day's game against Tarleton State University.
ACU was the underdog again in the March 20, 2024, game. The bettors wagered about $40,000 on Tarleton to cover the first-half and full-game point spreads which were 4 points and 5.5 points, respectively.
In this game, Person #15 joined Simmons in underperforming, prosecutors allege, and ACU did not cover either spread. Simmons scored zero points.
The indictment charges Simmons with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bribery in sporting contests. The fraud charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years; the maximum sentence for the bribery charge is five years.