8 more Hawkeyes, Cyclones charged in gambling investigation
Seven current or former players for the University of Iowa and Iowa State University football teams and a Hawkeyes graduate assistant have been charged in connection with an investigation into illegal sports wagering.
The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation has filed tampering with records charges against the following:
- From UI: Harry Reginald Bracy II, Arland Richard Bruce IV, Jack Thomas Johnson, and Owen O’Brien. Bracy transferred to Troy and Bruce transferred to Oklahoma State after last season. Johnson was listed as a junior on the Hawkeyes roster as of Thursday and O'Brien is a graduate assistant.
- From ISU: Jirehl Brock, DeShawn Hanika, Isaiah Lee and Jacob Remsburg. All four were starters for the Cyclones last season and were listed on the roster as of Thursday.
Video: No evidence found that game results were manipulated by Iowa and ISU athletes tied to gambling
That increases the number of people with ties to Iowa and ISU athletics charged in the investigation to 15, including Hunter Dekkers, who started last season for the Cyclones, and Aaron Blom, a Hawkeyes kicker.
Current athletes also face a loss of eligibility for violating NCAA gambling rules.
In May, officials at Iowa State and Iowa announced they were cooperating with state gaming regulators who were investigating illegal online gambling on their campuses. Iowa said it identified 26 athletes in various sports that might have also compromised their NCAA eligibility. Iowa State at the time said about 15 athletes across three sports were suspected of violating gambling rules.
Experts have predicted that college sports will continue to see gambling scandals as betting becomes more accepted in states following a Supreme Court ruling five years ago. The topic grabbed headlines earlier this year after Alabama’s baseball coach, Brian Bohannon, and two Cincinnati baseball staffers were let go due to their connection to gambling investigations.
New gambling allegations against Hawkeyes
According to criminal complaints, Bracy placed 65 mobile bets while underage. Eight of those bets were on Hawkeyes sporting events while he was an athlete on Iowa’s football team. Officials say that Bracy, who transferred to Troy after last season, engaged in a scheme with Bruce to disguise their identities while conducting transactions.
Bruce, who has transferred to Oklahoma State, is accused of placing 132 bets while underage, 19 of them being on Iowa football events while he was a player.
Johnson allegedly placed 380 bets while underage, totaling over $1,800. The criminal complaint says he placed four wagers on Iowa football games while he was a player.
O’Brien is alleged to have placed over 350 bets on sports while underage, totaling over $3,047. Three of those wagers were on Iowa football events during the 2022 season while he worked for the Iowa football program.
“These charges stem from an extensive investigation by the DCI,” said Johnson County Attorney Rachel Zimmermann Smith. “The investigation is ongoing, and we are committed to ensuring a thorough and fair process.”
New gambling allegations against Cyclones
According to criminal complaints, Brock, a senior running back, used an online gambling account under someone else's name to make 1,327 bets totaling $12,050. Among those are 13 alleged bets on Iowa State basketball games and four others on Iowa State football games — while he was a member of the football team.
Authorities say Brock made wagers on home games last fall against Texas Tech and Kansas State and two bets on the Cy-Hawk football game in Iowa City on Sept. 10, 2022. He played in the games against Kansas State and Iowa but missed the Texas Tech game due to injury.
Lee, a senior defensive lineman, allegedly made 115 wagers totaling $885 from an online gambling account under someone else's name, according to a criminal complaint. That includes 26 bets on 12 Cyclones football games, including the Cyclones
Hanika, a senior tight end, made 288 bets totaling $1,262 from an online gambling account under another's name, according to a criminal complaint, including 70 wagers on Cyclones basketball games.
A criminal complaint says Remsburg, a senior offensive lineman, used an online wagering account under someone else's name to make 273 bets totaling about $1,108, including six NCAA basketball and football games while he was on the ISU roster.
"Remsburg said he tried to avoid problematic wagering by focusing his online sports wagers on UFC and NBA games and avoiding wagers on NCAA sanctioned contests," the complain said.
Information from KCRG and the Associated Press was used in this article.