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Just when you think you have seen every possible way to break the rules in the sports betting world, a new story comes and alters that thought.
Imagine working inside the walls of one of the largest sportsbook operators and deciding that your path to wealth involves rigging a mid major college basketball game.
That is the exact situation surrounding Samuel Silverman, a former sports trader for DraftKings.
He has now been charged with two felony counts for his alleged role in a betting scheme centered on a Fresno State basketball player.
The case has everything. Insider connections, player prop bets, text messages, and thousands of dollars changing hands.
It all started with one game
Investigators say the scheme revolved around Fresno State’s road game against Colorado State on Jan. 7, 2025.
According to the Nevada Gaming Control Board, former Fresno State guard Mykell Robinson allegedly agreed to deliberately underperform so that bets on his player prop unders would hit.
Those bets reportedly focused on Robinson finishing below certain statistical marks, including points, rebounds, assists, and made three pointers.
Authorities claim Silverman helped coordinate the operation alongside former DraftKings sports trader Matthew Martin and Robinson’s former teammate Steven Vasquez.
Nearly $16,000 was allegedly split between four people
Investigators say the group did not just talk about the bets. They placed them.
According to court records, Robinson’s mother allegedly sent about $200 that helped fund the wagers. When Robinson finished with the numbers the group was hoping for, the bets paid off.
The investigation claims the scheme generated nearly $16,000 in winnings.
Nevada investigators say Martin received the biggest share at $11,325, and Silverman got $3,000. Robinson is accused of receiving $1,425, which prosecutors say was delivered through Vasquez.
The bets did not go unnoticed
In this case, the bets had spotlights before the game had even tipped off.
BetMGM flagged suspicious betting patterns on Robinson’s player props, and this triggered the investigation.
Later reviewed text messages showed Robinson hinting he would see limited playing time and post lower numbers than expected.
The charges could carry serious consequences
Silverman was arrested in Las Vegas on May 5.
He now faces two Class C felony charges. The first accuses him of committing a fraudulent act inside a gaming establishment. The second is on conspiracy to cheat at a gambling game.
Both charges carry potential prison sentences of one to five years under Nevada law. Silverman has pleaded not guilty,though.
“We will present a vigorous defense of Mr. Silverman in a court of law based on evidence and facts—not in the court of public opinion, polluted by bias, speculation, and rumor,” Michael D. Pariente, Silverman’s attorney, said in a statement.
Martin has been identified in investigative records but has not been charged.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board has also indicated that other criminal charges involving other individuals remain possible.
DraftKings distanced itself from the case
DraftKings says neither Silverman nor Martin worked on college basketball trading while employed by the company.
The operator added that the bets tied to the alleged scheme were not placed through DraftKings’ sportsbook.
Both men are no longer employed by the company.
The fallout started long before the criminal charges
For Robinson and Vasquez, the consequences actually arrived months earlier.
Last September, the NCAA permanently ruled both players ineligible after discovering they violated its sports betting rules.
The organization found they had participated in betting activity connected to their own performances, which is one of the most serious gambling violations a college athlete can commit.
