The integrity of professional basketball has been dealt another devastating blow as federal investigators have identified former NBA guard Antonio Blakeney as the mysterious "Co-Conspirator 1" in the sprawling "Nothing But Bet" gambling indictment. The revelation, which emerged late Friday, directly links Blakeney to the high-profile federal case that has already ensnared Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and rocked the NBA's foundation. This explosive development suggests that Blakeney was not merely a participant but a foundational figure in a transnational point-shaving scheme that spanned from the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) to the NCAA and eventually the NBA.

The 'Co-Conspirator 1' Bombshell

For months, the identity of "Co-Conspirator 1" in the October 2025 federal indictment against Terry Rozier remained a closely guarded secret known only to the grand jury. That anonymity ended this week when reporting confirmed by law enforcement sources revealed that Blakeney is the unnamed figure described as an "NBA player at times" and a Florida resident. This identification is critical because it bridges two massive, previously separate investigations.

Prosecutors allege that Blakeney served as the "original sin" of the operation, establishing the template for game manipulation while playing overseas. According to court documents, Blakeney collaborated with professional fixers—including the now-infamous Marves Fairley and Shane Hennen—to manipulate game outcomes in exchange for illicit payments. This network allegedly grew to include active NBA players like Rozier, who is accused of selling access to inside information and manipulating his own playing time to satisfy prop bets.

From China to the NCAA: The Anatomy of a Fix

The federal investigation paints a damning picture of how the scheme operated, describing a sophisticated operation that began during Blakeney’s tenure with the Jiangsu Dragons in the CBA during the 2022-2023 season. Investigators allege that Blakeney, a former LSU standout and Chicago Bulls player, agreed to intentionally underperform in specific games to ensure his team failed to cover the spread or that his individual statistics hit the "under."

The $200,000 Payday

One specific instance highlighted in the probe details a March 2023 game where Blakeney, averaging over 32 points per season, scored only 11 points in a blowout loss. Prosecutors allege that shortly after the season concluded, co-conspirator Marves Fairley left approximately $200,000 in cash in a Florida storage unit belonging to Blakeney—payment for his role in the fix. This success allegedly emboldened the group to expand their operations stateside, targeting vulnerable NCAA athletes to replicate the point-shaving model in US college basketball.

The 'Nothing But Bet' Ring Expands

The identification of Blakeney as "Co-Conspirator 1" adds a new layer of severity to the "Nothing But Bet" case. The scandal has already seen the indefinite suspension of active NBA figures and lifetime bans for others. The investigation suggests a systemic vulnerability in professional sports, where the proliferation of prop bets—wagers on individual player statistics rather than game outcomes—has created fertile ground for corruption.

Federal charges indicate that the betting ring utilized inside information regarding player health, lineup changes, and "load management" decisions to place sure-fire bets. In some cases, players allegedly removed themselves from games early to ensure "under" bets would cash. The involvement of a former NBA player like Blakeney as a recruiter and organizer demonstrates how deep the rot may run, moving beyond isolated incidents to organized criminal conspiracy.

A Crisis of Integrity for the NBA

As the 2026 NBA season progresses, the league finds itself fighting a war on multiple fronts to preserve its integrity. With the NBA gambling scandal dominating headlines, Commissioner Adam Silver and league officials are facing mounting pressure to overhaul relationships with sports betting partners and implement more invasive monitoring of players and their associates.

The federal government's aggressive pursuit of these charges signals that this is far from over. With Blakeney now publicly named as a primary architect, the focus turns to who else may have been recruited into the scheme. As the investigation widens, the sports world waits anxiously to see which domino will fall next in what is rapidly becoming the most significant gambling scandal in modern sports history.