Prosecutors Recommend 87-Month Sentence for Jalen Smith at Center of NCAA Match-Fixing Scheme

Federal prosecutors in Pennsylvania are recommending a maximum 87-month prison sentence plus $1,148,137.41 in restitution for Jalen Smith, the central figure in an NCAA illegal bookmaking and match-fixing operation. The details appear in an October 2 sentencing memorandum. Sentencing is scheduled for Tuesday at 11 a.m. ET in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Smith recruited dozens of players from 39 total participants across 17 teams between 2022 and 2024. More than $3 million was wagered on the fixed games. Legal sportsbooks lost more than $1.1 million as a result. Prosecutors described Smith as the scheme’s most prolific recruiter and manager of corrupt players who directed game fixing and delivered bribe payments.

Court records show Smith also possessed a stolen semiautomatic machine gun and holds a prior felony conviction for drug trafficking. Prosecutors cited his continued criminal conduct in seeking the top penalty. They stated that Smith and his co-conspirators “deliberately corrupted the fundamental principles on which competitive sports depend — fairness, honesty, and respect for the rules of competition — and he did so because of greed.”

Smith‘s attorney Rocco C. Cipparone filed a reply brief Thursday requesting a substantial downward variance. Cipparone noted that Smith was recruited into the NCAA scheme rather than originating it, had settled the weapons charge, and suffers from untreated ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder. Cipparone submitted nine support letters from family and community members.

Contrasting Recommendation for Damien LeForbes

In California, federal prosecutors and Damien LeForbes‘ counsel submitted a joint brief proposing probation for the former professional poker player. LeForbes pleaded guilty in August 2024 to money laundering and running an illegal sportsbook. Sentencing is set for Thursday at 11 a.m. PT in the U.S. District Court for the District of Central California.

Both sides described LeForbes‘ conduct as an aberration with no prior criminal history. He has attended therapy and Gamblers Anonymous meetings while on pretrial supervision for more than two years. The brief contrasts his case with that of Mathew Bowyer, who received a year-and-a-day sentence after handling hundreds of millions in bets for more than 700 customers. As reported by InGame, these matters form part of broader illegal betting cases since the 2022 indictment of Wayne Nix.

Sentencing Signals for Integrity Enforcement

The recommendations illustrate how federal courts differentiate sentences based on scale, prior record, and cooperation in gambling-related crimes. Outcomes in these cases will shape expectations for pending matters involving other athletes and operators.

Reporting: InGame

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