How An Anonymous Gambling Cheat Ended Up At The Center Of The Nba’s Betting Scandal

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This month, a expansive assemblage indicted Shane Hennen for his domiciled successful a scheme to rig backstage paper games and NBA games, arsenic portion of a nationwide criminal enterprise.

The allegations are news, but not wholly new.

Sixteen years ago, a erstwhile assemblage hoops subordinate accused Hennen of cheating astatine a backstage paper game.

Ryan Lambert had transferred from Western Kentucky to Duquesne, successful Hennen’s hometown of Pittsburgh. He started 3 games and played successful 7 successful nan autumn of 2005 earlier Duquesne booted him for “conduct detrimental to nan team.” Lambert stayed successful Pittsburgh aft his dismissal, and successful nan early greeting hours of Nov. 20, 2009, he accused Hennen of cheating astatine cards. The 6' 7", 200-pound Lambert confronted nan 6' 2", 165-pound Hennen.

Less than an hr later constabulary recovered Lambert connected Wharton Street successful Pittsburgh, extracurricular a nightclub called Diesel, pinch a stab coiled successful his neck.

To date, 38 group person been charged aliases indicted for their roles successful nan gambling scandals that person shaken nan sports world.

Twenty-seven, including Basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups, are only connected to a multimillion-dollar strategy to rig backstage poker games.

Seven, including Miami Heat defender Terry Rozier, are connected to fraudulent NBA bets. (Lawyers for Billups and Rozier person publically denied nan allegations against their clients.)

Four are connected to both.

One man is successful nan mediate of all of it.

Shane Hennen is not nan astir famous, powerful aliases intimidating defendant. He is not an NBA subordinate aliases coach, and he is not 1 of nan 12 defendants who has been linked to nan New York Mafia’s 5 families. He is conscionable a feline pinch a criminal grounds who claims to make a surviving trading gambling picks.

But you cannot show any portion of this communicative without him.

Authorities person connected Hennen to Jontay Porter’s 2 rigged performances for nan Toronto Raptors successful 2024. “Hennen, together pinch others, conspired to spot fraudulent ‘under’ prop bets connected [Porter’s] capacity successful nan January 26 and March 20 Games,” FBI typical supplier Russell Lantier wrote successful a January criminal title and affidavit, “knowing successful beforehand that [Porter] planned to retreat from those games for purported wellness reasons.”

Hennen has been accused of profiting erstwhile then-Charlotte Hornets defender Rozier near a March 2023 crippled pinch an alleged injury: “Shane Hennen placed aggregate bets astatine a unit sportsbook operated by Betting Company 3 totaling astir $61,200, each of which were either consecutive aliases parlay bets connected nan suspect Terry Rozier’s unders,” according to past week’s sports-betting indictment. “In summation to placing bets connected Rozier’s unders himself, Hennen marshalled a web of associates to spot bets connected Rozier’s unders.”

And Hennen has been accused of playing a cardinal domiciled successful nan poker scheme: “Hennen organized Rigged Games, provided cheating exertion to different co-conspirators successful nan Scheme to usage successful Rigged Games successful speech for a information of nan criminal proceeds from nan Rigged Games, and was besides a personnel of nan Cheating Teams,” according to nan poker rigging indictment.

Three different men person been indicted for some nan poker and hoops scandals, but their alleged engagement was not arsenic heavy arsenic Hennen’s. Ammar Awawdeh has been accused of convincing Porter to erase gambling indebtedness by rigging his ain NBA performances. But arsenic of today, Awawdeh has not been connected to immoderate different hoops bets. The authorities accused Damon Jones and Eric Earnest of cashing successful connected wrong NBA information, but did not link them to nan rigged performances. Jones and Earnest are besides each identified successful nan poker indictment arsenic “members of nan Cheating Teams,” not arsenic superior organizers. Awawdeh’s attorney, Mark Lesko, has declined aggregate Sports Illustrated requests for comment. Lawyers for Jones and Earnest did not instantly respond to SI inquiries.

Hennen’s fingerprints mightiness move up successful much places soon. Prosecutors successful nan Eastern District of Pennsylvania are spearheading nan investigation into rigged assemblage games, which is believed to beryllium larger successful standard than nan NBA scheme. They person not charged anybody yet. But indictments are expected successful nan adjacent future, and Hennen and his longtime friend Marves Fairley are believed to beryllium astatine nan bosom of that investigation, aggregate sources acquainted pinch nan probe show SI.

Hennen and Fairley some purport to make their surviving trading gambling picks. They station pictures connected Instagram of themselves pinch betting slips and bundles of cash, surviving nan precocious life and advertizing for clients. They person continued to do truthful since being indicted.

RELATED: Inside nan Gambling Ring Allegedly Linked to Point Shaving Across Pro and College Basketball

Hennen’s posts are often filled pinch bravado. YOU BET WITH ME YOU WIN WITH ME LFG. Even aft past week’s indictments, he has continued to tout his picking prowess. In consequence to those indictments his lawyer, Todd Leventhal, told SI that, “Shane maintains his innocence and we intend to conflict these charges to nan fullest.”

Court filings show a different story.

On Jan. 12 of this year, national agents arrested Hennen aft he attempted to committee a formation from Las Vegas to Colombia, connecting done Panama, pinch a one-way ticket. In a five-page missive dated Jan. 13, then-Acting U.S. Attorney for nan Eastern District of New York Carolyn Pokorny urged her counterpart successful Nevada to detain Hennen without bail until his trial. Pokorny based on that Hennen was a “serious and important formation risk;” that “his motive to fly is obvious;” that “proof of his guilt is overwhelming.” She said Hennen’s “extraordinary financial resources and entree to a web of co-conspirators crossed nan state proceed to supply him pinch a intends to fly and to do truthful undetected.”

That day, Hennen was released, according to 4 tribunal filings.

At a proceeding successful Brooklyn 18 days later, U.S. Attorney Benjamin Weintraub said of Hennen: “The authorities does not judge he poses immoderate consequence of threat to nan society.”

Judge Vera M. Scanlon asked: “Should location beryllium immoderate limitations connected his engagement pinch betting aliases different akin financial activity?”

Weintraub replied: “We haven’t really discussed that pinch co-counsel … I deliberation it’s O.K. if we proceed without that condition.”

Hennen’s relative Colin agreed to beryllium liable for a $200,000 enslaved if Shane did not show up for a tribunal date, but nan Hennens did not person to put up immoderate money successful nan interim.

Shane had to surrender his passport, but nan position of his merchandise allowed him to recreation passim nan continental United States. He was not allowed to person interaction pinch his co-conspirators. But he was not taxable to immoderate location monitoring aliases curfew restrictions.

Over nan past 10 months, prosecutors and Leventhal jointly revenge 4 requests for excludable delays, tabling immoderate indictment truthful they could “focus efforts connected plea negotiations.” (Four defendants successful nan Porter lawsuit person already reached plea deals, and another, Awawdeh, has been negotiating a plea woody for much than a year.)

Last week, Hennen was charged pinch 2 counts of ligament fraud conspiracy and 2 counts of money laundering—and he could perchance look much for nan assemblage hoops case.

Now he faces a determination that affects almost each co-defendant: Fight nan charges, aliases effort to trim a woody and attest for nan government. Hennen finds himself successful a spot wherever cipher ever wants to be.

But he has been present before.

Ryan Lambert declined SI’s interview requests. But connected nan nighttime he was stabbed, he told Pittsburgh constabulary he knew who did it: “Shane Hennen.” At UPMC Mercy Hospital nan adjacent morning, constabulary showed Lambert a bid of photos of similar-looking men, including Hennen, according to a constabulary report. Lambert pointed to Hennen and said, “He stabbed me.”

Police arrested Hennen, past released him connected $25,000 bond.

Twelve days later, Hennen grounded 4 sobriety tests during a postulation extremity connected State Road 79 successful Pennsylvania, according to a constabulary report. Police arrested Hennen for driving nether nan influence. They took him to St. Clair Hospital for a humor test, past released him.

Hennen would later attest that later that evening he called a Pittsburgh-area supplier trader named Franco Badini and asked for thief getting cocaine “pressed” for sale. Hennen and Badini had worked together for much than a year, buying cocaine from suppliers—as overmuch arsenic a kilogram astatine a time—and splitting it for resale.

Badini sent Hennen to a cousin’s house. Hennen near nan location pinch 3 ounces of cocaine that he had already arranged to sell. But that night, Drug and Enforcement Administration agents arrested Hennen successful nan parking batch of nan Meadows Casino successful Pittsburgh.

Hennen was now facing 2 national felony charges for nan cocaine incident, 1 of which carried a 10-year minimum sentence. He besides faced 3 charges for stabbing Lambert, including a felony complaint for aggravated assault, for causing aliases attempting to origin superior bodily wounded pinch “extreme indifference to nan worth of quality life.”

According to Pennsylvania sentencing guidelines astatine nan time, a condemnation connected that charge, coupled pinch his anterior criminal history, carried a condemnation of 3.5 to 5 years. He was besides charged successful Pennsylvania for driving nether nan power connected nan time of his cocaine arrest. Rather than consequence spending nan adjacent 13 to 15 years successful prison, Hennen decided to thief nan government’s cases against Badini.

While Hennen’s criminal cases were pending, national prosecutors requested, and were granted, support to nonstop Hennen to Detroit pinch $800, accompanied by national agents. The target was a cocaine supplier there.

“Defendant Hennen possesses accusation that could assistance rule enforcement successful locating that root and obtaining grounds against him,” acting U.S. Attorney Robert S. Cessar wrote astatine nan time.

Hennen pleaded blameworthy to 2 national charges for possession and conspiracy pinch intent to administer and to aggravated battle successful nan Lambert case. He group himself up for a much lenient sentence.

But first, he had to attest against Badini.

When Hennen took nan stand, U.S. Attorney Craig Haller had him locomotion done his narration pinch Badini, including their history of dealing cocaine together. Haller besides tried to preemptively reside a taxable that was judge to travel up nether cross-examination.

“You person cheated astatine gambling successful nan past, person you not?” Haller asked.

Hennen replied: “That is correct.”

In 2006, Hennen and an subordinate named Wayne Watkins checked into adjoining Rooms 514 and 516 of a Comfort Inn successful Pittsburgh, putting astatine slightest 1 of nan rooms nether nan sanction of Shane’s relative Colin Hennen. Shane, who was only 20 astatine nan time, told constabulary he utilized Colin’s sanction erstwhile he booked edifice rooms because Colin was older than 21, according to a constabulary report.

Police said Shane explained nan logic for nan adjoining rooms. In 1 room, they would bet pinch loaded dice, and successful nan different room, personification would push a fastener connected “some benignant of magnetic device” to get nan dice to onshore connected their preferred numbers. Watkins brought nan instrumentality from his location authorities of Kentucky. Hennen pleaded blameworthy to 4 charges and was sentenced to six months probation.

Badini’s attorney, Lee Rothman, began his cross-examination there. SI is reprinting portion of nan transcript. Every mobility and reply that appears present is unedited and successful full.

ROTHMAN: “You sewage it successful Kentucky for nan intent of cheating group retired of money.”
HENNEN: “That’s correct.”
ROTHMAN: “Not dissimilar your skills arsenic a excavation hustler.”
HENNEN: “That’s correct.”
ROTHMAN: “You make a surviving retired of cheating group retired of things.”
HENNEN: “That’s correct.”

Rothman asked Hennen astir nan ngo to Detroit.

ROTHMAN: “That was truthful that you could effort to group personification up, up there.”
HENNEN: “That’s correct.”

Hennen admitted 5 times nether oath that he cheated group retired of gambling money: erstwhile nether nonstop introspection by U.S. Attorney Craig Haller, and 4 much times to Rothman. But Rothman was not finished.

He asked Hennen astir Lambert, who identified Hennen arsenic “the personification that stabbed him successful nan throat,” according to nan constabulary report.

ROTHMAN: “All right. Mr. Lambert had accused you of cheating him retired of money successful a paper game, didn’t he?”
HENNEN: “That’s correct.”
ROTHMAN: “All right. And you sewage into a conflict pinch him?”
HENNEN: “That’s correct.”
ROTHMAN: “And you sliced his throat?”
HENNEN: “That’s not correct.”
ROTHMAN: “Where did you portion him?”
HENNEN: “On his neck.”

Badini was convicted of colluding to administer and possession pinch intent to administer astatine slightest 5 kilograms of cocaine. It was his 2nd drug-dealing conviction. Badini was sentenced to 20 years successful prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Thirteen years later, Badini remains incarcerated.

Hennen pleaded blameworthy to colluding to administer astatine slightest 5 kilograms of cocaine; possession pinch intent to administer a substance of little than 500 grams containing “a detectable magnitude of cocaine;” and aggravated battle (serious bodily injury) for stabbing Lambert. He served 2 years and 12 weeks successful prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release.

Hennen’s determination to cooperate paid off. But he ever figured it would.

ROTHMAN: “All right. When you sewage arrested, did you work together to cooperate quickly?”
HENNEN: “Yes.”
ROTHMAN: “All right. How quickly?”
HENNEN: “That day.”

Hennen was released from situation successful 2013. He past violated his supervised merchandise by walking without support to Virginia, wherever he sewage a speeding ticket, and via level to San Diego, wherever a DEA supplier discovered “Mr. Hennen did not acquisition a return summons and he was carrying $10,769 successful cash.” He picked up a DUI successful Missouri successful 2017, astatine which time, according to his probation officer, “Hennen had $14,621 successful rate connected him astatine nan clip of his arrest, which he claimed were nan proceeds of his gambling winnings.”

In December 2023, poker pro Matt Berkey said connected his Only Friends podcast that he played a high-stakes backstage crippled pinch a personification he thought was Colin Hennen, but a friend successful Pittsburgh told him it was really Shane: “I near reasoning I was cheated,” Berkey said. “He was crazy action: thumps maine successful a monolithic pot, very quickly racks up, and has to leave. Never plays again.”

Then, this year, Hennen was indicted for nan poker and hoops schemes.

Fourteen years ago, aft slicing Ryan Lambert’s cervix and past cutting a plea deal, Shane Hennen said astatine his sentencing hearing.

“I conscionable want to opportunity thing to nan unfortunate existent briefly,” he said. “Sorry. This should person ne'er happened. I cognize it went excessively far.

“That’s all.”

Lambert was much reflective.

“You know, I learned from it,” he said, “and I dream Shane did, too.”