A Las Vegas DraftKings worker has been identified successful tribunal records arsenic the suspect arrested successful the point-shaving probe involving the Fresno State University hoops program.
Samuel Silverman, 23, faces 1 felony number of committing a fraudulent enactment astatine a gaming constitution and different felony number of attempting oregon conspiring to cheat astatine a gambling game.
His attorney, Michael Pariente, said Wednesday that Silverman, who was released from custody connected $12,000 bail, has pleaded not guilty.
“We volition not effort this lawsuit successful the tribunal of nationalist opinion,” Pariente wrote successful a statement. “We’ll effort it successful a tribunal of law, wherever the State’s grounds volition beryllium tested — and we’re assured it won’t clasp up.”
DraftKings said Silverman nary longer works for the institution and condemned the alleged conduct.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board accused Samuel Silverman and alleged co-conspirators — erstwhile DraftKings worker Matthew Martin, Fresno State guardant Mykell Robinson and San Jose State defender Steven Vasquez — of conspiring to spot prop bets connected Robinson’s deliberate under-performance.
The bets were tied to Fresno State’s Jan. 7, 2025, Mountain West Conference crippled against Colorado State.
Robinson texted ‘we eating GOOD disconnected this $200 flip’
Authorities accidental the 4 collectively profited astir $16,000 from the scheme.
Martin, who the committee said placed the wagers astatine an MGM sportsbook, received $11,325; Silverman, $3,000; Robinson, $1,425; and Vasquez, $200. Martin and Silverman were roommates, according to investigators.
Silverman antecedently worked for the Fresno State Basketball programme and served arsenic the nexus betwixt the hoops players and Martin, a Nevada Gaming Control Board cause said.
The NCAA conducted its ain probe into the alleged conspiracy. As a result, some Vasquez and Robinson were released from their hoops programs and expelled from their universities.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board subpoenaed documents and interviews from the NCAA probe and Fresno State’s interior probe into Robinson. Authorities besides collected cellphone records.
In 1 connection from the greeting earlier the game, Mykell Robinson asked his mother, Michelle Robinson, to nonstop Vasquez wealth connected his behalf, according to the report.
“We eating GOOD disconnected this $200 flip,” Mykell Robinson wrote.
Authorities said determination were nary substance messages to suggest that Michelle Robinson knew astir the circumstantial wagers oregon Robinson’s volition to underperform.
The study alleged that Michelle Robinson sent the wealth to Vasquez, who sent $1,000 to Silverman. Silverman past sent the wealth to Martin, who contributed his ain funds and placed 3 abstracted wagers from $200 to $800, with the highest paying $5,800, according to authorities.
All 3 wagers won, and aft the game, the winnings were paid from Martin to Silverman, from Silverman to Vasquez, and yet to Robinson, according to the Nevada Gaming Control Board.
It is unclear whether the Robinsons, Vasquez, oregon Martin volition look transgression charges successful transportation with the bets.
Silverman is owed successful tribunal again successful August.
Contact Akiya Dillon astatine adillon@reviewjournal.com.
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