Las Vegas DraftKings Employee Accused of Participating in College Prop Betting Ring — What Bettors Should Know

A former DraftKings sportsbook trader based in Las Vegas has been charged with felony offenses tied to a college basketball prop betting scheme involving a Fresno State player, according to court documents. Samuel Silverman faces charges of commission of a fraudulent act in a gaming establishment and conspiracy to cheat at a gambling game, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for August 4.

Silverman is one of five people accused of participating in the scheme, which centered on a Fresno State men’s basketball player allegedly agreeing to underperform in a specific game so that associates could profit from prop bets wagered against his statistics.

How the Alleged Scheme Worked

According to the Nevada Gaming Control Board, the case centers on a January 7, 2025 game between Fresno State and Colorado State, in which Fresno State guard Mykell Robinson allegedly agreed to intentionally underperform in exchange for a cut of the betting proceeds. Investigators say unusual wagering activity on Robinson’s player props first drew scrutiny at BetMGM, where multiple parlays were placed on the “Under” for various statistical categories, including one bet that would have paid out at +625 odds.

Authorities allege that Matthew Martin, another former DraftKings sports trader, placed the bets and collected roughly $16,000 in winnings before passing the money along to Silverman, who then distributed the funds among the group. Investigators say phone records and financial documents point to what regulators described as a “clear conspiracy” to manipulate player props for financial gain. The scheme is also alleged to have involved Robinson’s former teammate, identified in reports as Vasquez.

DraftKings’ Response and Fallout

DraftKings has stressed that neither Silverman nor Martin had any role in setting college basketball betting lines during their time as sports traders, and that the alleged conduct did not touch the company’s own platform. In a statement to ESPN, DraftKings said the individuals involved “are no longer employed by the company” and that the operator “strongly condemn[s] the alleged conduct of these former employees” while remaining “committed to protecting the integrity of sports and sports betting.” The company also said an internal investigation turned up no evidence that proprietary information was misused or that customers were affected.

On the collegiate side, the NCAA has already acted. Robinson and Vasquez were both declared permanently ineligible last September after the organization concluded they violated its sports wagering rules by taking part in the alleged scheme — a consequence that landed well before any criminal charges were filed against the accused DraftKings employees.

Nevada regulators have indicated the investigation remains active, and additional criminal charges against other individuals connected to the scheme have not been ruled out. Silverman has pleaded not guilty through his attorney, and no trial date has been set beyond the upcoming preliminary hearing.

Why This Case Matters for Bettors

Player prop bets have become one of the fastest-growing corners of the legal sports betting market, and cases like this one are exactly why sportsbooks and regulators keep such a close eye on unusual line movement. The scrutiny that flagged Robinson’s props in the first place is a reminder that operators actively monitor betting patterns for exactly this kind of manipulation, and that insiders with access to information or influence over outcomes represent one of the biggest integrity risks in the industry. Anyone using a DraftKings promo code to bet on college hoops this season can take some comfort in knowing that the alleged wrongdoing happened away from the platform itself, and that DraftKings’ internal review found no impact on customer bets.

The case also underscores a broader trend: as legal sports betting has expanded, so has scrutiny of prop bets on lower-profile college games, where thinner betting markets can make it easier for a single player’s performance to move the needle. Bettors following live NCAAB odds this coming season should expect continued regulatory attention on player props, especially in games and leagues where liquidity is lower and monitoring systems have less historical data to compare against.

For now, the legal process for Silverman and his co-defendants is just beginning, with the August 4 preliminary hearing serving as the next milestone in a case that Nevada regulators say is still unfolding.