Former DePaul players and ex-Bull Antonio Blakeney charged in scheme to rig games

A High-Stakes Scandal Rocks the NCAA: Former DePaul Players and Ex-Bull Accused of Rigging Games for Big Bucks

In a bombshell federal indictment unsealed Thursday, three former DePaul men's basketball players and a former Chicago Bulls player are accused of being part of a widespread betting scheme to rig NCAA and Chinese Basketball Association games. Jalen Terry, Da'Sean Nelson, and Micawber "Mac" Etienne, along with Antonio Blakeney, are among 26 people ensnared in the plot.

The scheme allegedly began in September 2022, with "fixers" working to recruit and bribe players in the Chinese league. Blakeney, a top scorer for Jiangsu Dragons at the time, is accused of throwing games, including one where he scored 21 points below his average as his team lost by 31.

Blakeney received a one-time payment of $200,000 from an accomplice delivered to a storage unit in Florida. The former NBA player played in 76 games for the Bulls between 2017 and 2019 but declined to comment on the allegations.

The fixers targeted college basketball during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, involving over 39 players across more than 17 Division I teams and 29 games. The betting scheme netted millions of dollars, with payments ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 per game. Players even helped fix games by recruiting other players, including Etienne, who allegedly received a $40,000 bribe in February 2024.

Etienne, primarily a bench player for La Salle last season, is accused of enlisting fellow conspirators Terry and Nelson, both former Eastern Michigan teammates. The DePaul Blue Demons were struggling during the 2023-24 season, finishing with a dismal 3-29 record and an 0-20 mark in the Big East.

The NCAA has faced growing concerns about sports gambling since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a federal ban on the practice in 2018. The indictment follows a series of high-profile scandals, including at least 10 players receiving lifetime bans for betting on their own teams and performances this year.

As the investigation unfolds, DePaul University has issued a statement expressing disappointment over the allegations, vowing to strengthen education and compliance efforts to protect student-athletes and maintain competition integrity. The university will cooperate fully with any investigation, but details remain scarce as the fallout continues to unfold in the high-stakes world of college sports betting.

"College hoops just got a whole lot more tainted "

this is so sad, I mean i'm all for making that dough but rigging games is just wrong - these players are not just hurting themselves, they're also letting down their fellow teammates and the university . it's like, what if one of those DePaul guys had actually made a difference on that court instead of just taking payoffs? the NCAA needs to get its act together and make sure something like this never happens again

the NCAA is a mess - all these scandals and it's like they're just letting it happen. 200k for throwing one game? come on. and the fact that they were doing this during the season, when players are supposed to be focused on winning championships... it's just not right. and what about the education part of DePaul's statement? is it even possible for them to strengthen compliance efforts after this many people are implicated?

just heard about this crazy scandal involving DePaul players and a former Bulls player! I mean, $200k for throwing one game? That's wild . And it's not like they were just talking trash on social media or anything, allegedly they'd get paid to rig games too . This is a huge hit to the NCAA and college sports as a whole - gotta see how this all plays out . It's also crazy that some of these players were making bank off of their own performances . The fixers must've been slick to get some of them on board too

OMG, can't believe this is happening like what's next?! They're literally throwing games and getting paid for it? $200k and $40k who has that kinda dough on the side lol I'm shook for DePaul tho, gotta get to the bottom of this scandal #JusticeForCollegeSports

oh man this is so messed up 26 people involved, millions of dollars on the line... what's going on with these players and coaches? how could they throw games like that for some quick cash? and de'ron smith isn't even mentioned in this article i'm all about the integrity of college sports and it sounds like someone really messed up here.

I'm not sure if I believe all these people are guilty, but at the same time, like, how could they just do that? 26 people involved in a scheme to rig games for millions of dollars? It's crazy! But then again, some of them were already getting paid pretty well from the NBA, so maybe it was just a way to make more money... or not? I don't know, man. The NCAA needs to get its act together and figure out how this keeps happening. They can't just sit back and let people exploit their athletes like that. But on the other hand, some of these players were already getting paid a lot, so maybe they weren't really in need of extra cash... ugh, my mind is all over the place!

The revelation that some former DePaul players and a Chicago Bulls alum were involved in a massive betting scheme to rig NCAA games is a dark day for collegiate athletics. The fact that 26 individuals are implicated, with payments ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 per game, highlights the lucrative nature of this scandal . It's concerning that some players, including Etienne and Nelson, were allegedly bribed or coerced into participating in a scheme that compromised the integrity of the games ️. The NCAA has been trying to address sports gambling concerns since 2018, but it's clear more needs to be done to prevent such scandals . DePaul University's response seems like a good starting point, but I hope the university and the NCAA will work closely together to ensure education and compliance efforts are strengthened .

Just thinking about this scandal is giving me major headaches like a rigged game... or should I say, a rigged life? The fact that former players were bribed to throw games is just sickening especially with the millions of dollars on the line . It's no wonder why the NCAA has been cracking down on sports gambling lately . As a fan, it's heartbreaking to see your favorite teams compromised like this . DePaul University needs to take responsibility for its athletes' actions too . The players need to be held accountable for their roles in this scandal . It's not just about the money; it's about integrity and trust in sports . This investigation better get to the bottom of things ASAP !

this is a huge deal and i'm low-key shocked it took so long for someone to come forward... i mean, we've been suspecting something was up with these top players making some pretty sketchy money moves all season . 39 players across 17 teams? that's a lot of potential fixers and participants in this scheme. how many more games were rigged than the ones that got exposed? and what about the chinese league involvement - does anyone know if that was just a small fish in a bigger pond?

I mean, come on... 26 people involved in a huge betting scheme? That's just crazy! And DePaul players being implicated too? I know they were struggling that season , but rigging games for big bucks? No way! The NCAA needs to take this seriously and make sure these players are held accountable. It's not just about the money, it's about the integrity of the game and the students themselves.

And what's with Blakeney throwing a game by scoring 21 points below his average? That's some serious suspect behavior . I'm not surprised he declined to comment on the allegations... sounds like he might be hiding something. Etienne receiving a $40,000 bribe is just ridiculous . The whole situation is just a mess.

I hope DePaul University takes this opportunity to review their education and compliance efforts . You can't have student-athletes involved in betting schemes and expect them to be champions on the court... or in life. This scandal needs to be thoroughly investigated, and these players need to face the consequences of their actions .

This is just shocking, you know? I mean, how far corruption can go in a thing like this. Thousands of bucks for one game and some kids getting hurt in the process... it's hard to believe people would stoop that low. And it's not just about the players, but also the whole system, including DePaul University, which has to take responsibility too.

I've seen some changes in college sports over the years, but this is a new low. The NCAA needs to do better in regulating and monitoring betting activities. They can't let their guard down now. And what about the players who didn't get caught up in it? Are they still going to be treated unfairly just because of the ones who were involved?

It's also sad to see how far some people will go for a quick buck. I mean, $200,000 is a lot of money, but it's not worth ruining lives and tarnishing the reputation of an institution like DePaul. This is a wake-up call for all of us, especially parents and students who look up to these athletes.

I hope this scandal brings about some real change in how college sports are run. We need to make sure that our young athletes are protected from corruption and exploitation.

what's going on with these college basketball players? like they're just getting paid to throw games?! $200k for one game is insane . And it's not like they were all from bad teams either, DePaul was struggling last season . This is why the NCAA needs better rules and enforcement . Can't let the greed of these players ruin the whole sport .

I don't know man... this is like the icing on the cake for me. College sports are already so rigged in my opinion. Now we got players and coaches involved in some shady stuff? It's just not right . I mean, what's next? Are they gonna start paying players to lose on purpose too? $40k bribe for a bench player like Mac Etienne? That's wild . The NCAA is already under fire from all sides and now this scandal hits? It's gonna be tough to regain trust, you know?

omg have you tried those new matcha lattes at starbucks? i mean, they're pretty good, but like, where's the creativity? don't get me wrong, i love a good latte as much as the next person, but come on, can't we mix things up a bit? and speaking of mixing things up, did you know that there's this new virtual reality experience in vegas that lets you be a secret agent? it sounds kinda wild, right?

anyway, back to the scandal... like, i get why people would wanna make some extra cash, but rigging games for thousands of dollars each? no thanks. and what really gets me is that it's not just the players who are getting in trouble, but also the teams and universities that have to deal with the fallout. de paul university should totally offer free pizza for life to anyone who graduates without a ticket to this scandal

This is wild . I mean, can you imagine someone getting paid $200k to throw a game? That's just crazy talk . And it's not just the players who are shady, but also the fixers and accomplices who got in on the action . The whole system is rigged, or so it seems.

It's not surprising, though, that the NCAA has been facing issues with sports gambling for a while now . They should've done something about it sooner, but I guess you can't anticipate everything . And now, we're left dealing with the fallout and trying to figure out what really went down in those games .

I'm not buying that DePaul University is just going to take one for the team and sweep this under the rug . They've got to do better than that. The whole university should be investigated, not just the players involved . It's time to get real about college sports and make sure it's not all about the Benjamins .

just can't believe what's going down in college hoops - all this corruption is like, totally unacceptable . I mean, millions of dollars are on the line here and people are getting paid off left and right . It's no wonder the NCAA has been under so much pressure lately . How could players be bought out for that kind of cash? Does it even matter what team they're playing for anymore? DePaul gets a bad rap now too, but let's not forget their Blue Demons fans are loyal . We need to keep an eye on this investigation and see how it all plays out . It's time to get back to the basics of what college sports should be about - fair play and sportsmanship

What's up with these guys?? Like, 26 people involved in a massive betting scheme? That's wild And DePaul getting hit like this is crazy, I mean they were already struggling last season... it's just not right The NCAA needs to step up its game here, can't let this kind of thing slide. And what about the players who got bribed, does anyone care? $40k for recruiting some guy off the bench? Get real

this is a major wake-up call for the NCAA I mean 26 people involved in a massive betting scheme that's millions of dollars we need more transparency and stricter regulations on sports gambling in college sports did you know the US Supreme Court lifted the federal ban on sports gambling in 2018 since then there have been over 10 players banned for life for betting on their own teams DePaul University's statement about strengthening education and compliance efforts is a good start, but we need more concrete action ️ looking at the stats, the Chinese Basketball Association has seen a significant increase in betting activity over the past few years meanwhile, the number of players involved in scandals this year has skyrocketed it's time for the NCAA to step up its game and regulate these activities once and for all

here are some stats to put this into perspective:

* 2023-24 season: 39 players across 17 Division I teams were targeted by fixers
* 2024-25 season: 29 games were affected by the betting scheme
* The average payment per game was $20,000 (ranging from $10,000 to $30,000)
* The number of players involved in scandals this year has increased by 300%

let's keep a close eye on this investigation and hold the NCAA accountable