A former DraftKings employee with past ties to Fresno State was arrested May 5 after an investigation by the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) related to the school’s basketball program, ESPN reported late Monday. Samuel Silverman was charged with the commission of a fraudulent act in a gaming establishment and conspiracy to cheat at a gambling game, ESPN learned through an open records request.
Silverman was allegedly part of a sports betting scandal that involved former Fresno State players Mykell Robinson and Steven Vasquez, who were banned by the NCAA in September, and Matthew J. Martin, who is a former DraftKings co-worker and roommate of Silverman’s. The NCAA revealed last September that in January 2025, Robinson and Vasquez, who had transferred to San Jose State, plotted via text for Robinson to “underperform” in order for bets made against him to win. The pair, plus a then-unnamed third person, wagered $2,200 and cashed out for $15,950.
Robinson also allegedly placed multiple daily fantasy sports bets on himself and bet on the performance of former Fresno State teammate Jalen Weaver. The NGCB in mid-June announced that one person involved in the scheme had been arrested, but it did not identify the person.
Silverman maintains innocence
The NGCB said in a press release last month that the person arrested was being held at the Clark County Detention Center, though records Monday did not show that Silverman is currently being held there.
Attorney Michael D. Pariente told ESPN that Silverman pled not guilty. “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,” Pariente said in a statement.
Both of the charges against Silverman are Class C felonies.
While at Fresno State, Silverman was the manager of the men’s basketball team. He later went on to work on DraftKings’ sports trading desk, though the company said work by Silverman and Martin was not related to college basketball odds. ESPN reported that according to the NGCB report, Silverman placed some bets at Caesars Sportsbook, and as an employee of a sportsbook, his account was monitored.
“DraftKings takes the integrity of sports and sports betting with the utmost seriousness,” a DraftKings spokesperson told InGame via email. “The alleged activity at issue did not occur on DraftKings’ platform, and the individuals involved are no longer employed by the company. We strongly condemn the alleged conduct of these former employees and remain committed to protecting the integrity of sports and sports betting.”
The DraftKings online sports betting platform is not available in Nevada, and the company is not licensed in the state, though it does have offices there.
