Fixer Pleads Guilty to Bribery and Wire Fraud Charges in NCAA Basketball Point-Shaving Scheme

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — An Arkansas man has pleaded guilty to charges of bribery and wire fraud for his role in a point-shaving scheme involving NCAA Division I basketball games.

Rodrick Winkler, 32, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court on Monday to bribery in sporting contests, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud charges for scheming to influence games from September 2022 to February 2025.

The guilty plea stems from a January indictment that ensnared 26 people, including more than a dozen college basketball players who tried to fix games.

Winkler was a "fixer" in the scheme to recruit and bribe college basketball players to underperform and help ensure their team failed to cover the spread, according to court filings. The scheme involved 39 players over 17 different teams who fixed or attempted to fix 29 NCAA games.

The scheme resulted in more than $3 million in fraudulent wagers placed on the games and more than $1.1 million in financial losses to sportsbooks throughout the country, according to the court. Winkler and other fixers offered the players bribe payments usually ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 per game.

The schemers also profited from fixing Chinese Basketball Association games before turning to NCAA games.

Winkler is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 8 and faces a maximum possible term of 45 year in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine.