A former college basketball player suspected of being part of a multi-million dollar fraud scheme has been apprehended by the FBI and is awaiting extradition.
Kerr Kriisa, who spent six years playing in the NCAA across four schools, was detained on Friday in Lexington, Kentucky, as reported by Kentucky Sports Radio.
The 25-year-old, originally from Estonia, allegedly orchestrated the fraudulent activities during his senior year at West Virginia University in 2023.
Kriisa was transferred from Kentucky to West Virginia for a court hearing set for this week, as noted by the newspaper.
The specific charges against him haven’t been disclosed yet, since the case falls under federal jurisdiction.
Following his arrest on Friday night, Kriisa was booked into the Fayette County Jail, according to reports from WKYT.
During his college career, Kriisa played three seasons at the University of Arizona and participated in the NCAA Tournament twice, notably when his team was the top seed in 2022 before falling to Houston in the Sweet 16.
He committed to West Virginia before his senior year in 2023 but left the program in June of the same year after coach Bob Huggins resigned following a DUI incident.
Kriisa then transferred to the University of Kentucky but experienced another Sweet 16 exit, ultimately concluding his college career at the University of Cincinnati. He finished with a total of 1,115 points across 127 games.
As a part of the University of Kentucky alumni team, La Familia, he was set to compete in the Basketball Tournament, a summer league where teams of college graduates vie for a $2 million prize.
He was expected to make his TBT debut on July 18 against Louisville’s team, The Ville.
Officials from La Familia confirmed Kriisa’s arrest but didn’t share additional information.
“We acknowledge the allegations regarding Kerr Kriisa. He will not participate in the TBT tournament. Further comments will not be made,” the team stated.
Prior to his arrest, Kriisa had plans to return to Estonia to start his professional basketball career, as reported by WKYT.
