Former NCAA Division I basketball player Kerr Kriisa has been charged with five counts of wire fraud following an FBI investigation. The indictment, unsealed on Monday in the US District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia, outlines a $2.2 million financial scheme spanning from 2022 to June 2026.
Details of the Financial Scheme
Prosecutors allege that Kriisa used fabricated identities and false representations to secure payments from multiple individuals. Over a three-year period ending in 2024, he reportedly sent emails to one victim regarding financing for his family’s farm while impersonating his mother, Kersti Kull. A second victim was targeted through February 2026, with Kriisa allegedly posing as a person named Irene to request funds. The indictment also states that Kriisa claimed his mother required cancer treatment, a detail prosecutors describe as false.US Attorney Matthew Harvey noted that financial fraud schemes erode trust and harm victims who believe they are assisting someone in need. Kriisa was detained on the July 4 holiday and currently awaits extradition to West Virginia. Initial reports suggested potential match-fixing involvement, but the court documents contain no charges related to point shaving or sporting contest bribery.
Kriisa completed six seasons in NCAA Division I basketball, playing for the University of Arizona, West Virginia, Kentucky, and the University of Cincinnati. He recently joined Tartu Ülikool in the Estonian-Latvian Basketball League and is the son of former Estonian national team player Valmo Kriisa.