On April 28, former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud connected to an illegal gambling scheme that involved more than 30...
Sports betting influencer admits guilt in NBA bribery case
On May 28, sports betting and social media influencer Marves Fairley pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering connected to the NBA insider betting case.
Fairley, who describes himself as a gambling guru and is known as “Vezino Locks” on Instagram, is accused of using insider information obtained from players to place bets on NBA games. Prosecutors believe Fairley participated in the betting schemes that led to Terry Rozier’s investigation in a sports betting probe and ex-NBA player Damon Jones’ pleading guilty to a $10 million sports betting scam.
He is now expected to face a prison term of up to 20 years based on the six counts he pleaded guilty to, with the sentencing scheduled for February 2027. During the hearing in a Brooklyn federal courthouse, the government recommended Fairley serve between 8 and 10 years, arguing that he was a leader in the scheme and generated huge profits from the illegal activities.
Fairley stated:
“I agreed to pay a player to change their game performance to give me an advantage on bets I placed for myself and others.”
Additionally, Fairley admitted to recruiting and bribing college basketball players to intentionally perform worse in games in an NCAA point-shaving case in Pennsylvania. The influencer revealed that he and others received money as a result of altered player performances, while also sharing that he had placed bets on behalf of other players.
Fairley now remains free on a $200,000 bond.
Despite an ongoing federal gambling investigation, the NBA has been ordered to pay Terry Rozier his full salary of $26.6 million.Following Rozier’s arrest in October...
