College Basketball Scandal: NCAA Bans Three Players for Sports-Betting Scheme
Three former college basketball players, Mykell Robinson, Steven Vasquez, and Jalen Weaver, have been banned by the NCAA for participating in a sports-betting related game manipulation scheme. The players bet on themselves and each other during the 2024-25 regular season, providing information to others to place bets on their games and manipulating their performances to ensure certain bets were won. As a result, their eligibility has been permanently revoked.
The investigation into the players was initiated after a sports integrity monitoring service flagged suspicious prop bets on Robinson. Robinson and Vasquez, who were roommates at Fresno State during the 2023-24 season, exchanged text messages discussing plans to manipulate statistical categories during a regular-season game. Robinson also placed multiple bets on Weaver, his former Fresno State teammate, drawing attention to their actions.
During a game between Fresno State and Colorado State, Robinson placed several bets on his own performance, instructing his mother to transfer money to Vasquez for betting purposes. After winning the bets, Vasquez helped transfer the winnings to Robinson's mother. Additionally, Robinson and Weaver shared information about their betting lines, with Weaver also placing a prop bet on a parlay involving himself, Robinson, and another player.
While Vasquez and Robinson did not cooperate with the investigation, Weaver agreed to the violation and cooperated with the enforcement staff. As a result, all three players were dropped from their respective teams and are no longer enrolled at their previous colleges. Despite the actions of the players, neither Fresno State nor San Jose State has been punished in connection with the incident.