Vegas Gambling Scandal Deepens: Notorious Bettor Shane Hennen Pleads Guilty

Shane Hennen, a Las Vegas sports bettor entangled in three high-profile federal gambling cases, has pleaded guilty to a range of charges in Philadelphia. These charges are connected to extensive betting schemes that spanned the NBA, NCAA, and the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA).

Hennen's guilty plea in federal court encompasses sports bribery, aiding and abetting, and conspiracy charges related to wire fraud and money laundering, stemming from two of the federal cases. According to the Department of Justice's plea memorandum, Hennen faces a maximum sentence of 125 years in prison, with his sentencing scheduled for February 25, 2027.

Federal prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania detailed Hennen's involvement in a nearly three-year scheme, which commenced around September 2022. The objective of this illicit operation was to fix basketball games within both the CBA and NCAA basketball leagues. Prosecutors identified Hennen's role as a 'fixer,' working collaboratively with others who were responsible for recruiting and bribing CBA and NCAA men's basketball players. These players were instructed to underperform, thereby ensuring their teams would fail to cover the predetermined point spreads. Following these manipulations, Hennen would then place substantial wagers on the compromised games, and arrange for other individuals to do the same, generating illicit proceeds from the scheme.

Beyond the game-fixing allegations, Hennen also pleaded guilty to participating in a separate scheme. This involved the use of nonpublic information to place bets on NBA games and individual players, a case originating from the Eastern District of New York and notably involving player Terry Rozier. An attorney representing Hennen chose not to comment when contacted by ESPN regarding the proceedings.

Despite these guilty pleas, Hennen continues to face charges in a third federal case. This ongoing legal battle pertains to allegedly rigged poker games that are reported to have been backed by the Mafia. Prominent figures such as NBA coach and Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups, along with former NBA player and coach Damon Jones, were also indicted in connection with this particular poker case.