The text message was blunt, sent hours before Fresno State tipped off against Colorado State on January 7, 2025. "Playin lil first half may get couple stats," Mykell Robinson wrote to his former teammate, Steven Vasquez. "Then sitting."

That single exchange, now part of a Nevada Gaming Control Board investigation, serves as the smoking gun in a sprawling conspiracy that has ended careers, triggered felony charges, and exposed the vulnerabilities of the booming player-prop market. Samuel Silverman, a former sports trader for DraftKings, now faces felony charges of conspiracy to cheat at a gambling game and the commission of a fraudulent act, marking a rare and high-stakes intersection of professional sports trading and collegiate corruption.

The Anatomy of a Fix

The scheme was not a sophisticated hack of a sportsbook's algorithm. Instead, it was a low-tech, high-risk manipulation of human performance. According to investigators, Robinson—then a Fresno State player—intentionally limited his own output to ensure that specific "under" bets on his statistics would hit.

Ahead of the game, BetMGM flagged three suspicious parlay bets totaling $2,200. The wagers were specific: they targeted the under on Robinson’s points (10.5), assists (2.5), rebounds (5.5), and 3-pointers made (1.5). The bets were placed by Matthew J. Martin, a former DraftKings trader and roommate of Silverman.

When the final buzzer sounded, the impact of the "sit" strategy was clear. Robinson played only 21 minutes, finishing with just three points, two rebounds, and zero assists. The parlay hit, netting Martin $15,950. For the regulators, the sequence of events was a "clear conspiracy" to profit from altered play.

Why This Matters for the Industry

The involvement of individuals employed by a major sportsbook like DraftKings—even if they weren't setting college basketball odds—creates a massive optics and integrity problem for the industry. While DraftKings has stated that their internal review found no evidence of proprietary data being used to facilitate the bets, the fact that a trader was allegedly orchestrating a fix from the sidelines is a nightmare scenario for regulators.

"We strongly condemn the alleged conduct of these former employees," a DraftKings spokesperson said in a statement. The company has since distanced itself from the individuals, noting that the activity did not occur on their platform. However, the Nevada Gaming Control Board has made it clear that the investigation is far from over, noting that "several additional suspects remain outstanding."

The Fallout for the Players

For the athletes involved, the consequences were immediate and permanent. In September, the NCAA ruled both Robinson and Vasquez permanently ineligible after concluding they had violated gambling statutes.

Silverman, meanwhile, has pleaded not guilty. His attorney, Michael D. Pariente, has promised a "vigorous defense," signaling that the legal battle will likely center on the interpretation of the evidence gathered from phone and financial records. For now, the case stands as a stark warning to the collegiate sports world: as player-prop betting becomes a staple of the modern gambling experience, the incentive to manipulate individual stats has never been higher.

Key Takeaways

  • Samuel Silverman, a former DraftKings trader, faces felony charges for his alleged role in a conspiracy to manipulate a 2025 college basketball game.
  • The scheme involved former Fresno State player Mykell Robinson, who allegedly limited his own performance to ensure "under" bets on his statistics would win.
  • The Nevada Gaming Control Board is actively pursuing additional suspects, and the NCAA has already issued permanent bans to the players involved in the plot.

As the Nevada Gaming Control Board continues its investigation, the focus will shift to the remaining unnamed suspects. With the NCAA and state regulators working in tandem, the next round of charges could reveal just how deep the network of collusion went beyond the walls of the Fresno State locker room.