Samuel Silverman, a former DraftKings sports trader, has been criminally charged in Nevada over an alleged betting scheme tied to Fresno State basketball.
Silverman was arrested in Las Vegas on 5 May and has pleaded not guilty to felonies alleging a fraudulent act in a gaming establishment and conspiracy to cheat at gambling.
The case centres on a Fresno State game against Colorado State played on 7 January 2025, which drew scrutiny from Nevada gaming regulators.
Nevada Gaming Control Board records reviewed by ESPN allege that Silverman helped distribute proceeds from wagers connected to former Fresno State forward Mykell Robinson.
The bets focused on Robinson falling below selected statistical lines, with the NCAA finding that Robinson and former teammate Steven Vasquez discussed the plan by text message.
Three prop bets totalling $2,200 in combined stake reportedly returned $15,950, raising red flags for integrity monitors tracking the game.
Vasquez had been Robinson’s Fresno State roommate, and state records also identify Silverman’s former DraftKings colleague and roommate, Matthew J. Martin, as a figure in the alleged scheme.
Silverman had previously worked as a team manager at Fresno State during the 2022-23 season before taking a role at DraftKings.
DraftKings confirmed that both Silverman and Martin worked from its Las Vegas office in 2025 but stated that neither was responsible for setting college basketball odds.
Silverman’s lawyer, Michael Pariente, indicated the defence would be built on evidence rather than public commentary, signalling a contested legal battle ahead.
The criminal charges follow NCAA sanctions that had already delivered serious consequences for several players involved in the incident.
In September, the NCAA permanently revoked the eligibility of Robinson, Vasquez, and former Fresno State guard Jalen Weaver following its own investigation.
The NCAA inquiry was triggered after Fresno State and a betting integrity monitor flagged suspicious prop betting activity surrounding Robinson’s statistical performance.
Its findings concluded that Robinson and Vasquez manipulated their on-court performances to ensure particular bets would land successfully.
Nevada regulators have confirmed that further suspects remain outstanding and that additional criminal charges are actively being pursued in connection with the case.
The Fresno State matter arrives amid a wider wave of basketball-related betting investigations drawing federal attention across the United States.
Federal prosecutors in Philadelphia charged 26 people in January in a separate alleged point-shaving operation involving more than 39 players across 17 Division I programmes.
Professional basketball has also faced scrutiny, with federal prosecutors charging Terry Rozier, Damon Jones, and others last October over alleged use of non-public medical and lineup information for betting purposes.
Baseball has not escaped the current enforcement climate, with Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz charged in November over claims that individual pitches were rigged for prop bets.
Former MLB outfielder Yasiel Puig, meanwhile, faces home foreclosures and a potential 18-month prison sentence following federal convictions for lying to agents and obstruction of justice tied to an illegal gambling ring.
