Former Iowa State defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike and current Denver Broncos player is facing allegations of betting on both Broncos and Iowa State games, according to court documents filed in the Iowa District Court for Story County on Tuesday.
The complaint states that Uwazurike, 25, has been charged with tampering with records due to his alleged wagers. It further claims that he placed bets on two Iowa State games in which he participated and five Broncos games, totaling 32 bets. One of the Broncos games he bet on was a Week 15 home game against the Cardinals, in which he played.
Uwazurike was suspended indefinitely during the 2022 NFL season for betting on NFL games. He now faces charges alongside three other Iowa State athletes, including starting quarterback Hunter Dekkers. These charges are part of an ongoing investigation into sports gambling among athletes at Iowa State and Iowa.
The complaint accuses Uwazurike of intentionally falsifying his personal electronic sports wagering records to conceal his identity and deceive others, despite having no privilege or right to do so. This alleged misconduct occurred between February 7, 2021, and July 10, 2022. In the state of Iowa, tampering with records is considered an aggravated misdemeanor punishable by up to two years in prison.
In May, officials at Iowa State and Iowa were informed about multiple athletes under investigation for engaging in prohibited online sports wagering. Currently, 26 athletes from five sports at Iowa and 15 athletes from three sports at Iowa State are under investigation.
Uwazurike was drafted by the Broncos with the 116th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. During the 2022 NFL season, he recorded 17 tackles. However, due to his indefinite suspension announced by the NFL in July, Uwazurike will have to wait until July 24, 2024, to be eligible to petition for reinstatement.
This is not the first instance of NFL players facing suspensions due to violations of the league’s gambling policy. In April, five players—one from the Commanders and four from the Lions—received suspensions. Additionally, a fifth Lions player is currently under investigation, as reported by The Athletic in May.
Furthermore, in June, two Colts players—cornerback Isaiah Rodgers and defensive end Rashod Berry, free agent Demetrius Taylor, and Titans’ lineman Nicholas Petit-Frere—were suspended by the NFL for violating the league’s gambling policy.
The investigation into online sports wagers involving athletes at Iowa and Iowa State continues to unfold.
(Photo: C. Morgan Engel / Getty Images)