Multiple published reports say a former Alabama State men's basketball player has been indicted in connection with an FBI gambling probe. It's alleged that Shawn Fulcher was involved in the rigging of games between February and March 2024. Fulcher was a member of the Buffalo Bulls during the 2023-2024 season, and later played for the Alabama State Hornets. The University of Buffalo says it's aware of these claims and is cooperating with the ongoing investigation.
Twenty six people were reportedly named in the alleged betting scheme to rig NCAA basketball games. Federal prosecutors say this include a dozen players who tried to fix games as recently as last year. Alabama State is one of seventeen collegiate basketball program named in an indictment that was unsealed today.
Sports Illustrated listed the player indicted as…
- Isaiah Adams, Buffalo
- Arlando Arnold, Southern Mississippi
- Simeon Cottle, Kennesaw State
- Kevin Cross, Tulane
- Micawber Etienne, DePaul
- Bradley Ezewiro, Saint Louis
- Shawn Fulcher, Buffalo and Alabama State
- Elijah Gray, Fordham
- Carlos Hart, New Orleans
- Markese Hastings, Robert Morris
- Corey Hines, Alabama State
- Cedquavious Hunter, New Orleans
- Oumar Koureissi, Nicholls State
- Da’Sean Nelson, DePaul and Eastern Michigan
- Demond Robinson, Kennesaw State
- Camian Shell, North Carolina A&T
- Dyquavion Short, New Orleans
- Airion Simmons, Abilene Christian
- Diante Smith, Nicholls State
- Jalen Terry, DePaul and Eastern Michigan
In a statement, Alabama State University President Dr. Quinton Ross said…
“Alabama State University has been made aware that former basketball players have been identified as individuals involved in a national sports betting investigation. Alabama State University will fully cooperate with authorities and there will be no further comment,” he said.
Prosecutors alleged that fixers recruited players to underperform during games in exchange for cash. The gamblers would then make sizeable bets connected to those games, defrauding sportsbooks and other bettors. CBS Sports reports games at Alabama State, Western Michigan University, Butler, St. John’s, Tulane, East Carolina, McNeese State, Nicholls State, St. Louis University, Duquesne, La Salle, Fordham, SUNY Buffalo, Kent State, Ohio University, Georgetown and DePaul were all directly involved or impacted.
Fixers alleged started with two games in China in 2023 and, successful there, moved on to fixing NCAA games as recently as the beginning of last year, resulting in payments of up to $30,000 to the players for each game. Concerns about gambling and college sports have grown since 2018, when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a federal ban.
