Las Vegas Resident Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy in NCAA Basketball Game Fixing

A Las Vegas resident, Shane ‘Sugar Shane’ Hennen, has accepted a plea agreement regarding his involvement in bribing basketball players to influence NCAA men’s basketball games. According to a U.S. Justice Department announcement, Hennen, 41, confessed to charges of bribery in sports contests, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and three counts of wire fraud during a hearing held before U.S. District Judge Nitza Quiñones Alejandro at Philadelphia’s James A. Byrne U.S. Courthouse.

Hennen’s scheme reportedly spanned the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, comprising collaboration with others to recruit over 39 players across 17 Division I teams. These players accepted bribes to manipulate game outcomes, including failing to meet point spreads. The investigation revealed the scheme led to fraudulent wagers exceeding $3 million and caused over $1.1 million in losses for sportsbooks. Hennen’s sentencing is set for February 25, 2027, where he faces a potential 85-year sentence.