The FBI’s sweeping indictment of 26 individuals has pulled several HBCU basketball programs into one of the largest point-shaving/gambling investigations in college sports history.
Federal prosecutors allege that more than 39 Division I players fixed or attempted to fix outcomes in 29 games across at least 17 programs. Among the four current players charged, two compete at HBCU basketball programs: Delaware State’s Camian Shell and Texas Southern’s Oumar Koureissi.
The case also touches North Carolina A&T and Mississippi Valley State, extending a pattern that has quietly linked HBCU basketball to multiple gambling probes over the past year.
Two Current HBCU Players Named in Federal Indictment
The FBI indictment identifies four active players accused of participating in the alleged point-shaving scheme:
- Camian Shell, Delaware State (8.0 ppg)
- Oumar Koureissi, Texas Southern (4.9 ppg)
- Simeon Cottle, Kennesaw State (20.2 ppg)
- Carlos Hart, Eastern Michigan (13.1 ppg)
Shell and Koureissi are the only current players from HBCU programs named in the federal filing. Both play in conferences that sportsbooks have already flagged for unusual betting patterns.
HBCU Programs Listed Among Schools in Case
The indictment lists current or former players tied to alleged point-shaving and/or game-fixing activity at the following schools:
Abilene Christian, Alabama State (HBCU), Buffalo, Coppin State (HBCU), DePaul, Eastern Michigan, Fordham, Kennesaw State, La Salle, New Orleans, Nicholls, North Carolina A&T (HBCU), Northwestern State, Robert Morris, Saint Louis, Southern Miss, and Tulane.
Alabama State, Coppin State, and North Carolina A&T are the HBCU programs named in the indictment’s list of schools connected to alleged activity. In addition, Mississippi Valley State appears elsewhere in the investigation through prior NCAA enforcement activity tied to gambling violations.
$458,000 Wager on NC A&T Game Highlights Scope of Scheme
One of the most striking details in the indictment involves an HBCU game directly.
Investigators cited $458,000 wagered on North Carolina A&T to lose against Towson, an unusually large amount for a mid-major contest. Prosecutors say this betting volume helped trigger sportsbook alerts and integrity monitoring reviews.
Other games in the indictment involved similar wagers. Many targeted programs outside of the national spotlight, where betting activity attracts less immediate scrutiny.
HBCU Gambling Concerns Pre-Date FBI Indictment
Thursday’s charges did not emerge in isolation.
In February 2025, ESPN reported unusual betting activity involving North Carolina A&T and Mississippi Valley State. Sportsbooks flagged sharp line movement in multiple games. Around the same time, NC A&T suspended three players for violations of team rules. The school did not link those suspensions to gambling allegations.
Later, in September 2025, the NCAA confirmed investigations into 13 former Division I players for gambling-related violations. That group included former players tied to North Carolina A&T and Mississippi Valley State.
NCAA: Schools Not Accused, Penalties Focus on Players
The NCAA has repeatedly stressed that schools and coaching staffs face no allegations in these cases.
“Protecting competition integrity is of the utmost importance for the NCAA,” President Charlie Baker said after the indictment became public. He noted that the organization had monitored suspicious betting activity for more than a year.
The NCAA enforces a strict penalty structure. Any athlete who bets on their own team permanently loses eligibility.
Why HBCU Basketball Remains Part of the Conversation
HBCU programs do not appear disproportionately in the indictment. Still, their inclusion reflects a growing issue in college sports.
Federal prosecutors allege that bettors offered players $10,000 to $30,000 to manipulate outcomes. For athletes outside major NIL ecosystems, those sums can carry significant weight.
HBCU basketball programs already operate with limited resources. As legalized sports betting expands, protecting game integrity remains critical. Wins and losses matter, but so does trust with recruits, alumni, and fans.
As the FBI case moves forward and NCAA enforcement continues, HBCU basketball once again sits at the intersection of a national gambling reckoning—one that extends far beyond any single program or player.