A major federal indictment unsealed Thursday accuses 26 people of involvement in a scheme to tank NCAA Division I college basketball and Chinese Basketball Association games to help sports gamblers get rich.

The indictment, filed in the U.S. District Court in Philadelphia, alleges players across 17 different NCAA teams "fixed and attempted to fix" at least 29 games.

The scheme names current and former college basketball players, as well as "fixers" who allegedly provided bribe money to players to underperform so that bettors could hit their bets.

While the case has nationwide reach and involves schools across the country, it was filed in Philadelphia. The charges were announced in Philly and the FBI Philadelphia field office investigated the alleged game-rigging scheme for multiple years.

On top of that, multiple people named in the case live in Philadelphia, and some players who have played at Philly-area schools are facing charges, officials say.

With that in mind, here's a breakdown of all the Philly connections to this major criminal case.

Shane Hennen, aka "Sugar Shane"

Prosecutors said Shane Hennen, a resident of Philadelphia and Nevada, acted as one of the "fixers" in the scheme and helped recruit Antonio Blakeney, a player for the Jiangsu Dragons of the Chinese Basketball Association, into the scheme. Blakeney later got other members of the team involved with the scheme, the document states. 

Prosecutors said Hennen and another fixer placed bets on the Dragons' opponents to "cover the spread" in multiple games, where players would ensure the Dragons lost by an amount larger than the spread, thus ensuring the bets would hit. 

U.S. Attorney David Metcalf alleged Hennen at one point texted someone that "the only thing certain in life was 'death, taxes and Chinese basketball.'"

Metcalf said after Hennen and other fixers had success in the CBA, they decided to take this approach to the NCAA, working with other fixers in what a federal indictment called "a point-shaving scheme involving more than 39 players on more than 17 different NCAA Division I men's basketball teams," and that impacted at least 29 games.

Hennen, who also goes by the nickname "Sugar," is also charged in a separate case connected to illegal fixed poker games that involved the NBA's Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups. Prosecutors alleged Hennen provided the "cheating technology" that allowed rigged poker games to continue.

In another case, prosecutors said Hennen placed bets on NBA games using insider information about players' injury status.

Hennen is well known online for posting his betslips and piles of cash winnings under the social media handle "Sugar Shane Wins."

Rivers Casino

Rivers Casino, located on Delaware Avenue in Philadelphia, is not accused of any wrongdoing in this case. The casino is mentioned in the indictment multiple times as a location where Hennen and other alleged fixers placed bets on games that they had rigged.

Hennen and others allegedly wagered nearly $200,000 on one March 6, 2023, game between the Guangdong Southern Tigers and the Jiangsu Dragons using the BetRivers Sportsbook. In another game, Hennen allegedly wagered at least $50,000 with the Rivers sportsbook that the Zhejiang Golden Bulls would cover the spread against the Dragons.

La Salle University

At some point after the scheme spread to the NCAA, accused "fixer" Jalen Smith and Blakeney approached players on the La Salle men's basketball team and offered bribes in an attempt to recruit them into the point-shaving scheme. The fixers were attempting to influence a game between La Salle and St. Bonaventure University, which was played Feb. 21, 2024, at the Tom Gola Arena in Philly.

St. Bonaventure was favored in that game by 5.5 points in the first half, and the fixers had bets worth nearly $250,000 riding on the "Bonnies" to cover the spread. (That includes $30,000 placed at the FanDuel Sportsbook inside the Live! Casino in Philly, the indictment says.)

The bets failed when La Salle covered the spread by outscoring the Bonnies 36-28 in the first half.

La Salle later posted a statement on social media about the game referenced in the indictment.

"We have just been made aware of an indictment involving an alleged point-shaving scheme in a men's basketball game that La Salle won against St. Bonaventure on February 21, 2024," the statement reads. "Neither the university, current student-athletes or staff are subjects of the indictment. We will fully cooperate as needed with officials and investigations."

Micawber Etienne

Micawber "Mac" Etienne is one of four former DePaul University basketball players among the 26 indicted.

Federal prosecutors said Etienne recruited three DePaul teammates to participate in the scheme.

Court documents alleged Etienne and three of his teammates — Jalen Terry, Da'Sean Nelson and an unnamed player — underperformed during a Feb. 24, 2024, game against Georgetown after fixers placed $27,000 in bets on the Hoyas to "cover the first half spread of approximately 2.5 points."

One of the fixers, Jalen Smith, then texted Etienne to arrange payment of the bribe money. Smith delivered $40,000 in cash to Etienne, Terry, Nelson and the fourth player, court documents alleged.

Etienne and his three DePaul teammates are also accused of rigging games in March against Butler University and St. John's.

Etienne, who began his collegiate career at UCLA, transferred to DePaul for his redshirt sophomore season. He entered the portal again and joined La Salle University for the 2024-25 season.

After one season with the Explorers, La Salle announced on X in April 2025 that Etienne was forgoing his final year of eligibility to pursue playing professionally.

Elijah Gray 

A former Temple University basketball player, Elijah Gray, is named in the indictment for a game-rigging incident that occurred before his time with the Owls.

Court documents alleged that Gray and an unnamed teammate were paid to fix a Feb. 23, 2024, game against Duquesne University when Gray was at Fordham University.

Gray was allegedly offered about $10,000 or $15,000 to underperform in a Fordham basketball game and he agreed, according to court documents.

Court documents said Gray was contacted by three fixers via FaceTime to set it up. The fixers allegedly asked Smith ensure Fordham would not cover the spread and recruit another player. The fixers allegedly contacted the teammate and instructed them to underperform.

The fixers bet at least $195,000 on Duquesne to cover the spread against Fordham on Feb. 23, 2024. Fordham won, 79-67, and Gray and the unnamed teammate both scored fewer points than their season averages, leading to the fixers losing the bets, court documents say.

Jalen Smith, one of the fixers, texted Gray after the game about the scheme failing to succeed, according to court documents. Gray allegedly replied to Smith's text message with, "I tried," and said Duquesne players were "not hoopin," which made it harder to let the team cover the spread.

"You did your job for sure," Smith texted Gray, according to court documents.

Gray played his first two years with Fordham before transferring to Temple for the 2024-25 season. Gray then left Temple for the University of Wisconsin-Madison, but was dismissed from the team in October for "events preceding his enrollment at UW-Madison."

CJ Hines

Temple University guard CJ Hines was named in the indictment for allegedly conspiring to fix games and point shaving while he was at Alabama State University in 2024-25.

Court documents alleged Hines was recruited by former Alabama State guard Shawn Fulcher to shave points during games. Fulcher also allegedly fixed games when he was at Buffalo in 2023-24, court documents said.

According to court documents, Hines and Fulcher conspired to fix a game between Alabama State and Southern Mississippi on Dec. 5, 2024.

Court documents alleged Hines, Fulcher and two unnamed teammates underperformed in the game, and Southern Miss covered the spread. The fixers won their bets, but court documents said the players never delivered the bribe payments.

During halftime of the game, with Alabama State up 33-30, court documents said Jalen Smith, one of the fixers, texted Fulcher and his teammates about the score.

Smith allegedly told the players to play poor defense and said, "LET [the Southern Mississippi players] LAY IT UP." One of the unnamed players allegedly responded back that Southern Miss was "so bad" it was hard to throw the game, according to court documents.

Hines transferred to Temple in May 2025 but has yet to play in a game.

"Temple University is aware of today's federal indictment that references C.J. Hines' alleged involvement in point-shaving while enrolled at his previous institution and is reviewing this new information," Temple said in a statement on Jan. 15. "Temple had previously received notice from the NCAA that Hines had potential eligibility concerns, and for that reason, he has not participated in any athletic competition since enrolling at Temple."

The NCAA announced on Nov. 5, 2025, that it was reviewing his eligibility.

"Temple University has received notice from the NCAA regarding potential eligibility concerns involving C.J. Hines, stemming from circumstances prior to his enrollment at Temple. While the review process is ongoing, C.J. will not take part in athletic competition," Temple said in a statement on Nov. 5.

Camian Shell

Camian Shell, a current Delaware State University basketball player, is named in the indictment for an alleged point-shaving incident that happened with a prior team.

In February 2024, while Shell was at North Carolina A&T State University, fixers approached Shell and another player on the North Carolina A&T team, asking them to underperform in a Feb. 29 game against Towson.

In that game, Towson was favored by seven points in the first half, and the fixers placed bets equaling at least $458,000 that Towson would cover the spread. Towson ended the first half up by 19 points and the fixers won.

Prosecutors say a fixer later exchanged text messages with Shell about delivering bribe money to him in Greensboro, North Carolina.