Charges were unsealed in January against Smith and 25 others in a widespread NCAA basketball point-shaving scheme, involving fixers who recruited players, placed bets, and targeted more than 39 players across 29 games in Division I.

A man tied to the operation pleaded guilty to wire fraud and bribery in federal court in Philadelphia, as part of the broader investigation.

Participants included players who sometimes cooperated by underperforming or sitting out, while other attempts failed and bettors sustained losses.

Smith’s attorney declined immediate comment.

Smith remains free on bail and is expected to be sentenced in June, with him indicating a willingness to take responsibility and move forward.

The case exposes a bribery charge carrying up to five years, wire fraud up to 20 years, and a firearms violation up to 20 years, yielding a potentially substantial total sentence.

Penalties facing Smith include prison time, fines for bribery in sporting contests, significant counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, a firearms charge, and possible supervised release.

The operation spanned multiple seasons and involved both recruited and active NCAA players across various schools.

Charges connect to a broader network of fixers who were actively involved with teams during the referenced seasons.

Two players charged had previously been banned by the NCAA in a separate point-shaving investigation, with one participant, Dae Dae Hunter, publicly describing participation to support his child.

Some participants indicated personal motives, including earning money to support family needs such as child care.

Prosecutors and local reporting say at least 29 games were affected, with gamblers winning millions of dollars.