Federal prosecutors charged two Kennesaw State basketball players with fixing games for illegal sports betting, and the university responded by suspending its leading scorer.
What’s Happening: Simeon Cottle, the team’s top scorer this season, was suspended indefinitely from all team activities. Former player Demond Robinson also faces charges in a federal indictment tied to an alleged point-shaving scheme during the 2023-24 season.
What’s Important: Prosecutors say Cottle and Robinson agreed to intentionally underperform in exchange for bribe payments connected to sports betting. Both players face charges of bribery in sporting contests and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, with bench warrants issued this week.
The Timeline: The alleged scheme centers on a March 1, 2024, game between Kennesaw State and Queens University of Charlotte. Prosecutors say the allegations don’t involve games from the current season.
The Details: Court records show sportsbooks favored Queens by a narrow margin in the first half of the March 2024 game. Investigators say roughly $20,000 was wagered on Queens to cover the first-half spread and that players involved influenced play to make sure that outcome happened. Queens led by 13 points at halftime before Kennesaw State outscored them in the second half but still lost the game.
Prosecutors say Cottle was in contact with alleged organizers on game day and received messages showing large sums of cash tied to the scheme. Days later, payments were arranged for both Cottle and Robinson. The indictment also claims Cottle later tried to recruit additional teammates, though those efforts didn’t work.
The Big Picture: The case is part of a broader federal investigation announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, which charged 26 people in an alleged international conspiracy involving NCAA and Chinese Basketball Association games. Authorities say more than 39 players across at least 17 Division I programs were targeted.
NCAA President Charlie Baker said the association has active or completed integrity investigations involving nearly all teams named in the indictment and has opened betting-related investigations into about 40 student-athletes over the past year, with multiple athletes already losing eligibility permanently.
What They’re Saying: “Kennesaw State University is aware of the reports involving men’s basketball student-athlete Simeon Cottle and former student-athlete Demond Robinson. Cottle has been suspended indefinitely from all team activities. KSU has no further public comment at this time,” Kennesaw State University officials said in a statement.
⚠️ Reminder: Crime articles contain only charges and information from police reports and law enforcement statements. Suspects and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
“Integrity means doing the right thing even when no one is watching. Somewhere along the way, too many people decided that rule was optional.”
