Jeremiah Williams has since transferred to Rutgers University
A former Cyclones basketball player charged in Iowa’s sports betting investigation pleaded guilty Tuesday in Story County to a lesser charge of underage gambling.
Jeremiah Williams, 21, who originally was charged with tampering with records, an aggravated misdemeanor, made a written plea to the simple misdemeanor and faces a $645 fine and no jail term, according to court documents. Williams also waived his presence at sentencing.
According to the plea, Williams admitted he used the FanDuel account of Courtney Martin, who was 21 and with her permission, to place about 15 wagers. He was under age 21 in November 2022 when the bets were placed. He also admitted the total of his wagers were more than $1,000, the plea stated.
The prosecution will not charge Martin for a criminal offense related to the conduct of Williams, according to the plea.
According to a criminal complaint, the FanDuel account controlled by Williams completed 15 mobile or online sports wagers totaling over $1,560. He placed bets on college basketball games and events sponsored by the NCAA.
Williams injured his left Achilles tendon in early October, missing the entire season, and then entered the transfer portal at the conclusion of the 2022-23 season, according Iowa State Men’s Basketball roster.
Williams transferred to Rutgers University’s Scarlett Knights, but as a two-time undergraduate transfer with three years of eligibility remaining, he is expected to sit out the 2023-24 season per NCAA transfer rules, Asbury Park Press in New Jersey reported last month. He has applied for a waiver to become eligible immediately, but a waiver seems unlikely because of the NCAA stringent guidelines for two-time transfer exceptions.
Seventeen current and former Iowa and Iowa State student-athletes and other individuals have been charged with placing illegal bets in the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation that began earlier this year. So far, 10 of them have pleaded to the lesser charge of underage gambling.
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