(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – Information is displayed during a news conference to announce charges against several people including former college basketball players, in what prosecutors called a betting scheme to rig NCAA and Chinese Basketball Association games, Jan. 15, 2026 in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tassanee Vejpongsa, File)

(Philadelphia, PA) Thirty-two-year-old Rodrick Winkler of Little Rock, Arkansas pleaded guilty to charges of bribery and wire fraud on Monday for his role in a point-shaving scheme that involved NCAA Division I basketball games and involved colleges like Robert Morris University.

Winkler pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to bribery in sporting contests, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud charges for scheming to influence some games from September of 2022 to February of 2025.

This guilty plea stems from an indictment on January 15th, 2026 that ensnared 26 people, which included more than a dozen college basketball players who tried to fix games.

Winkler was a “fixer” in that scheme to recruit and bribe college basketball players to underperform and help to ensure their team did not cover the spread, according to court filings.

The scheme involved 39 players over 17 different teams who fixed or tried to fix 29 NCAA games.

The court confirmed that it resulted in over $3 million in fraudulent wagers placed on the games and over $1.1 million in financial losses to sportsbooks throughout the country.

Winkler and other fixers offered the players bribe payments that usually ranged from $10,000 to $30,000 per game.

Those schemers also profited from fixing Chinese Basketball Association games before they turned to NCAA games.

Winkler is scheduled to be sentenced on February 8th, 2027 and he faces a maximum possible term of 45 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine.