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A Temple Men’s Basketball game is one of nine games that could potentially be linked to a larger gambling ring after the game was initially flagged for unusual wagering activity in March 2024, Sports Illustrated reported Tuesday.
Shane Hennen, a little-known sports gambler, was arrested last month at the Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas for helping organize a point-shaving scandal in both the NBA and the NCAA, according to court documents.
The office of acting U.S. Attorney Carolyn Pokorny of the Eastern District of New York found “substantial evidence” of Hennen’s involvement with “illicit financial transactions and fraudulent sports wagers totaling millions of dollars,” resulting “in potentially millions of dollars’ worth of illicit profits and money-laundering transactions,” Sports Illustrated reported.
Hennen’s potential involvement in fixing games began when he was connected to former Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter, who admitted to sitting out of games so gamblers could bet on his performance. Porter was later banned from the NBA for life.
Authorities are investigating potential links between Hennen’s gambling operation and wagering on at least nine college games across last season and this season and Temple could be one of them, Sports Illustrated reported.
Mahmud Mollah, a former business administration major at Temple, pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy in the Porter scheme. Mollah was a former Temple student from 2020-22, according to his LinkedIn account.
Temple was flagged for unusual wagering activity following its 100-72 loss to UAB on March 7, 2024, by gambling watchdog company Integrity Compliance 360, then known as U.S. Integrity. Temple was flagged for five games prior but the six-point jump in the point spread in UAB’s favor just hours before the game was especially alarming, according to Integrity Compliance 360.
Former Temple guard Hysier Miller was under investigation for point shaving by federal authorities following the UAB game. Miller transferred to Virginia Tech in the offseason but was dismissed on Oct. 23, 2024 prior to the start of the season due to “circumstances prior to his enrollment at Virginia Tech.”
Five colleges have been flagged for unusual wagering activity and the number is expected to increase, Sports Illustrated reported.
Hennen boasted about winning a bet where he had Temple plus-13 against Memphis on Feb. 9 where the Owls lost by eight points. Hennen has posted betting slips of wagers on NCAA teams but the official ties are still unknown. Four co-conspirators have been alleged to have worked with Hennen, all of which are from New York or Pennsylvania, the U.S. Attorney’s office said.
Temple Athletics did not immediately respond to The Temple News’ request for comment.
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