Ex-DraftKings Trader Charged in Fresno State Betting Scheme

Samuel Silverman, a former DraftKings sports trader, was arrested in Las Vegas on May 5 and charged with a fraudulent act in a gaming establishment and conspiracy to cheat at a gambling game, both Class C felonies under Nevada law. Silverman has pleaded not guilty.

Investigators say the charges arise from suspicious player prop wagers linked to Fresno State men’s basketball during the 2024-25 season. Authorities allege the scheme involved coordinated wagers on a single player’s statistical “unders” in a Jan. 7, 2025 game against Colorado State.

Records reviewed by investigators indicate former DraftKings trader Matthew Martin placed three same-game parlays totaling $2,200 on the player’s unders for points, rebounds, assists and three-pointers for the Jan. 7 game. The wagers paid about $15,950 after the player logged 21 minutes with three points, two rebounds and no assists.

Investigators allege Silverman helped distribute the betting proceeds after the wagers settled. The investigative records attribute roughly $11,325 of the winnings to Martin, $3,000 to Silverman, $1,425 to former Fresno State player Mykell Robinson and $200 to former teammate Steven Vasquez.

DraftKings confirmed that Silverman and Martin worked as sports traders in its Las Vegas office during 2025 and clarified that neither employee had responsibility for setting college basketball odds.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) said in June that it had concluded its probe into the suspicious wagering tied to Fresno State games and that additional suspects remain under investigation. NGCB Chairman Mike Dreitzer issued a statement that the agency will continue investigating activity that threatens the integrity of regulated sports wagering and that further criminal charges are being pursued.

The criminal charges follow NCAA enforcement action last year. In September 2025 the NCAA found Robinson, Vasquez and former Fresno State player Jalen Weaver violated NCAA gambling rules and declared the three permanently ineligible. The NCAA’s findings identified the same $2,200 in wagers that investigators say produced the $15,950 payout.

Other recent enforcement actions listed in regulatory and NCAA records include a guilty plea by a former Eastern Michigan player in a point-shaving case and a guilty plea by an alleged bookmaker, a permanent ineligibility ruling for a former Iona player, and bans issued in November 2025 against six players at three universities for gambling-related violations.

Attorney Michael D. Pariente wrote in a statement: “We will present a vigorous defense of Mr. Silverman in a court of law based on evidence and facts — not in the court of public opinion, polluted by bias, speculation, and rumor.”

The criminal case against Silverman will proceed in Nevada courts. The NGCB has indicated it may pursue additional criminal charges as its inquiry continues.