DePaul basketball players shaved points in a game against St. John's in 2024, federal indictment alleges
St. John's center Joel Soriano waits for a shot as DePaul's Da'Sean Nelson and Jalen Terry defend during the first half in a Big East men’s basketball game at Wintrust Arena on March 5, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. Credit: John Konstantaras Photo/John Konstantaras
DePaul basketball players received $40,000 for their roles in a point-shaving scheme in a game the Blue Demons lost to St. John’s near the end of the 2023-24 season, according to a federal indictment unsealed on Thursday.
Federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania indicted 26 people for their roles in a sprawling scheme to fix games in the NCAA and Chinese Basketball Association and profit from gambling on them, according to the unsealed documents. They allege that 17 different college programs that competed in 29 games were part of the conspiracy and named DePaul players who played in the Red Storm’s 104-77 win at Wintrust Arena in Chicago on March 5, 2024.
The charges include bribery, wire fraud and conspiracy and were filed in federal court in Philadelphia.
According to the indictment, Blue Demons players Da’Sean Nelson and Jalen Terry took money to underperform in the first half of the game to give an edge to co-conspirators wagering on the outcome of the first 20 minutes. The co-conspirators wagered more than $50,000 in a variety of bets that included DePaul failing to cover an approximate 15-point spread in the first half; the Red Storm led 54-28 at halftime.
The indictment details texts that were sent between gamblers and DePaul player Mac Etienne (who did not play) during the first half expressing concern that one Blue Demon player was playing too well.
It was not the only game Nelson and Terry are alleged to have intentionally underperformed in for pay to benefit gamblers.
No St. John’s players are implicated in the scheme and that is the only Red Storm game mentioned in the indictment.
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The indictment says former Fordham player Elijah Gray played a role in fixing the Rams’ home game against Duquesne that season as part of the scheme.
The DePaul players named for their involvement in the St. John’s game are Terry and Nelson, as well as Etienne and an unnamed player. In the first half of that game, Terry scored zero points in 17 minutes on 0-for-1 shooting and Nelson had four points in nine minutes and was 1-for-5 shooting. They finished the game with three and 11 points, respectively. For the 2023-24 season, they averaged 8.5 points and 9.7 points, respectively.
DePaul issued a statement on Thursday that read, in part, "DePaul University is deeply disappointed that former student-athletes were named in the indictment for alleged gambling activities. … The university will cooperate fully with any investigation."
St. John’s victory was its fourth in a row as it closed the season winning six of its last seven games to finish 20-13. DePaul was 3-29 that season.
According to the indictment, the DePaul players received the money in cash at an undisclosed location in Chicago after the game.
Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.
