Title: University of Iowa Men’s Basketball Student Manager Charged with Tampering in Sports Gambling Probe
Date: August 21, 2023
IOWA CITY – In a shocking development, Evan Schuster, a student manager for the University of Iowa men’s basketball team, has been charged with tampering with records involving sports gambling. The allegations state that Schuster placed 10 wagers on Iowa men’s basketball games, including betting on his own team’s games, during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.
According to court documents, Schuster placed nine out of his ten bets on a FanDuel account under his father’s name. The last bet was made from Schuster’s own FanDuel account after he turned 21. The games on which Schuster allegedly bet on include matchups against Nebraska, Bethune Cookman, North Carolina A&T, Seton Hall, Georgia Tech, Duke, Ohio State, and Auburn. These allegations are part of an ongoing investigation by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation into sports wagering at multiple state universities.
While the Iowa men’s basketball games make up only a fraction of Schuster’s overall betting activity, the complaint alleges that he placed over 2,000 bets totaling more than $15,800 using his father’s account. Furthermore, the bets were consistently placed using Schuster’s personal iPhone, with some being made from his university residence or areas not routinely accessible to the general public.
The court documents filed by the Johnson County Attorney’s Office state that Schuster violated four legal and regulatory frameworks, including underage gambling, violation of licensed sportsbook user terms and conditions, unfair wagering and conflict of interest, and tax implications. The terms and conditions of sportsbooks explicitly prohibit wagering by individuals who have direct contact or involvement with the teams or athletes they are betting on.
Schuster, who has been a student manager for the men’s basketball team since 2021, now faces charges of tampering with records, an aggravated misdemeanor that carries a potential prison sentence of up to two years.
University of Iowa spokesman James Allan stated that the institution is fully cooperating with the ongoing investigation. Schuster’s case is just one of many in the sports wagering probe, as seven other individuals associated with the Iowa athletic program, as well as eight current or former Iowa State athletes, also face charges of tampering with records.
The investigation is still ongoing, and it remains uncertain if more individuals from the University of Iowa or Iowa State will be implicated in this gambling scandal.
For any information related to this case, The Gazette encourages readers to contact John Steppe via email at [email protected].