Kerr Kriisa, a former guard for the University of West Virginia, faces five counts of wire fraud associated with a fraudulent scheme that reportedly amassed $2.2 million. This indictment was revealed on Monday in the US District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia.
While there were rumors during the July 4th weekend regarding charges of bribery in sports contests against Kriisa, the indictment did not include any allegations related to point shaving. Kriisa participated in 19 games for the University of Cincinnati during the 2025-26 season, marking the conclusion of his six-year tenure in NCAA Division I basketball.
Originating from Estonia, Kriisa has since signed on with Tartu Ülikool in the Estonian-Latvian Basketball League after leaving Cincinnati. Prior to that, he spent three seasons at the University of Arizona from 2020 to 2023, as well as one season each at West Virginia and Kentucky.
Kriisa is the son of Valmo Kriisa, a former member of the Estonian national team. As detailed in the indictment, he fraudulently impersonated his mother, Kersti Kull, in attempts to raise funds from an alleged victim, fabricating claims regarding his mother’s cancer treatments.
US Attorney Matthew Harvey commented on the situation, emphasizing that financial fraud schemes undermine trust and inflict real harm on victims who think they are assisting someone in need. He reaffirmed the office's commitment to pursuing individuals who exploit others through deceitful means.
Around the time the nation celebrated its 250th birthday, Kriisa was arrested by the FBI in connection to this scheme, as reported by Kentucky Sports Radio. Having played for the Kentucky Wildcats in 2024-25, Kriisa is now awaiting extradition to West Virginia.
The indictment states that Kriisa began crafting his fraudulent scheme in 2022, aiming to secure money through false pretenses in the Northern District of West Virginia. This ongoing deception lasted until June of this year, according to prosecutors.
Allegations indicate that Kriisa sought to defraud multiple victims using false identities and misleading communications. For instance, he purportedly assumed the identity of someone named “Irene” to extract financial support from an individual referred to as “Victim 2,” with efforts culminating in February 2026.
Over a three-year span until 2024, Kriisa allegedly sent emails to another individual labeled as “Victim 1,” seeking payments purportedly intended to save his family’s farm. He even claimed in November 2022, while playing for Arizona, that he planned to sell his organs to repay this victim.
The indictment contained details of numerous emails and text messages, highlighting five wire transfers that relate to the charges. Notably, Kriisa was not charged with bribery in sports contests, unlike several defendants involved in a broader sports betting case in Brooklyn. The US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia declined to comment beyond the indictment’s contents.
In a separate point-shaving case, college basketball remains embroiled in controversy, with a scheme involving over a dozen players across at least 17 teams. Notably, lead defendant Jalen Smith was scheduled for a sentencing hearing in Philadelphia last month, though his attorneys requested a postponement, moving the date to October.
Additionally, four other defendants, including three players, are due for change of plea hearings on July 29. Former University of New Orleans guard Dyquavion Short is alleged to have conspired to fix three games during the 2024-25 season, as outlined in a 70-page indictment.
Shawn Fulcher, another former player from the University of Buffalo, is accused of intentionally underperforming in several games during the 2023-24 season. He allegedly also recruited other players into the extensive match-fixing operations outlined in the indictment.
On another front, a former DraftKings trader in Nevada faces criminal charges linked to a scheme involving an ex-Fresno State basketball player. Last September, the NCAA barred multiple players for allegedly wagering on their own games. Mykell Robinson, a former Fresno State player, purportedly conspired with ex-roommate Steven Vasquez to manipulate wagers prior to a significant loss to Colorado State in January 2025.
The NCAA reported that Vasquez collaborated with Robinson to place bets against his own player’s statistical outcomes. They allegedly wagered over $1,000 on Robinson's under totals in various categories. Samuel Silverman, the ex-DraftKings trader, is said to have received a share of the ill-gotten proceeds from these bets. Silverman, who pleaded not guilty, is facing multiple felony charges, and DraftKings stated he had no responsibilities regarding college basketball. The Nevada Gaming Control Board has indicated that it is actively pursuing further charges, as additional suspects remain uncharged.
