Roderick Winkler, who federal prosecutors described as a “fixer,” pleaded guilty Monday for his role in a point-shaving scheme involving NCAA basketball games.
Winkler was charged with bribery in sporting contests, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and wire fraud. He was initially indicted in January.
Authorities claimed that Winkler helped recruit college basketball players for the scheme during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons. He would bribe them to intentionally underperform to ensure that teams failed to cover the spread set by sportsbooks.
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The bribes — which Winkler offered through texts, calls, social media messages and in-person conversations — typically ranged between $10,000 and $30,000.
The point-shaving scheme featured 39 players on 17 different teams who affected the outcome of more than 29 games, according to a report from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Sportsbooks reported $1.1 million in losses from the scheme, as Winkler orchestrated large wagers placed against the teams whose players he bribed, authorities said. The 32-year-old helped place more than $3 million in bets through the scheme.
Winkler is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 8. He faces a maximum sentence of up to 45 years in prison, along with a monetary fine.
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