The fallout from a widening sports betting scandal tied to North Carolina A&T has taken another step forward. It adds a troubling new chapter to a story that has shaken the HBCU and college basketball world.
Jalen Smith is a Charlotte, North Carolina man accused of helping orchestrate a point-shaving scheme involving multiple NCAA men’s basketball programs. He pleaded guilty Monday in federal court in Philadelphia to wire fraud and bribery charges. Smith is the first of the 26 people charged in the case to formally enter a guilty plea.
According to prosecutors, Smith used his background training and developing local basketball players for scouting combines to build relationships that later became part of the scheme. Authorities say he helped recruit college players to intentionally underperform in games so bettors could cash in on large wagers placed against those teams.
North Carolina A&T at the center of allegations
Among the games outlined in the indictment was a Feb. 29, 2024 contest involving North Carolina A&T and Towson. Prosecutors allege that Smith and other so-called “fixers” recruited then-A&T guard Camian Shell and another unnamed player, identified only as “Person #11,” to help manipulate the outcome of the first half.
The indictment alleges that sportsbooks had Towson favored by seven points in the first half. Prosecutors say bettors acting in coordination with the scheme placed at least roughly $458,000 in wagers on Towson to cover that first-half number and to win the game outright.
Authorities say the players agreed to underperform, and the results matched the betting pattern. Towson led 42-21 at halftime, well beyond the seven-point line that had drawn major action. While A&T played better in the second half, Towson still finished with an 84-58 win.
Prosecutors also allege that Smith communicated directly with Shell by text and phone about the plan. One message allegedly instructed Shell to make sure the score “was not close,” and prosecutors say Shell responded affirmatively.
After the game, Smith allegedly contacted Shell about delivering a bribe payment in Greensboro.
A much bigger NCAA problem
The case stretches far beyond one program or one conference. Prosecutors say the scheme operated during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons and eventually involved more than 39 players across more than 17 NCAA Division I men’s basketball teams. In total, authorities say more than 29 games were rigged or targeted for rigging.
Payments to players typically ranged from $10,000 to $30,000 per game, according to prosecutors, while the gamblers allegedly wagered millions and made substantial profits.
The indictment also says the scheme began with two games in the Chinese Basketball Association in 2023 before expanding into college basketball in the United States. By the time investigators unraveled it, prosecutors had identified more than 40 schools whose games were allegedly targeted.
Another blow for HBCU athletics
For HBCU fans, the mention of North Carolina A&T in a federal point-shaving case is a serious blow. It puts one of the most recognizable brands in Black college athletics in the middle of a national gambling scandal. And it arrives at a time when legal sports betting has exploded across the country.
Smith also pleaded guilty to a separate weapons charge after the FBI found a loaded handgun in his bedroom during a May search in North Carolina. He was barred from possessing a firearm because of a prior drug conviction, according to the plea agreement.
The legal process is still unfolding, and more guilty pleas could follow. Shell left North Carolina A&T after last season, but he found his way to another HBCU program.