Seven players and one staff member of the 2022 Iowa and Iowa State football programs were charged with aggravated misdemeanors in connection to a gambling probe, and all but two are accused of betting on their own team.
They include four Iowa State current starters, three Iowa players — two of whom transferred — and one former Iowa graduate assistant coach. All face up to two years in prison for tampering with records, a charge seven current and former Iowa and Iowa State athletes face from last week, including 2022 Cyclones starting quarterback Hunter Dekkers.
Iowa’s Division of Criminal Investigation handled the inquiry, while the Story County Attorney’s office filed charges against the Iowa State players. The Johnson County Attorney’s office charged the four men from the University of Iowa. The Athletic obtained information on the Iowa athletes and assistant from the Johnson County Clerk of Court and information on the Iowa State athletes from WHO-TV.
The Iowa State athletes accused include running back Jirehl Brock, tight end DeShawn Hanika, offensive lineman Jake Remsburg and defensive lineman Isaiah Lee. The Iowa players charged are current wide receiver Jack Johnson, former receiver Arland Bruce IV, former safety Harry “Reggie” Bracy II and graduate assistant Owen O’Brien. Iowa State coach Matt Campbell told Randy Peterson of The Des Moines Register on Wednesday none of the accused players were currently practicing but did not specify the reason. Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz will speak with reporters for the first time during training camp on Friday.
Bruce, a two-year starter who transferred to Oklahoma State in January, is accused of making 132 online sports wagers totaling more than $4,342 under the name “Vincent Bruce” to create a fraudulent DraftKings account while he was underage. As a true freshman in 2021, Bruce allegedly bet on six Iowa games, including contests against Iowa State, Penn State, Purdue, Nebraska, Michigan and Kentucky. In 2022, he was accused of betting on games of which he played against South Dakota State, Rutgers, Michigan, Northwestern and Nebraska. After he entered the transferred portal in December, Bruce allegedly bet “under total points” in Iowa’s Music City Bowl victory against Kentucky.
According to court documents, Bruce twice bet “under total points,” including once as a player in 2022. That was against Northwestern, a game Iowa won 33-13 in which the over-under line was 37.5 points. Bruce scored a rushing touchdown and caught three passes in that game.
Bracy, who transferred to Troy in January, also used an account under the name Vincent Bruce and is accused of placing eight wagers on Iowa events and 66 overall totaling $715 while underage. Bracy, who competed on special teams, allegedly wagered on two Iowa football games in 2022 in which he played.
Johnson allegedly used his mother’s name to obtain a DraftKings account before turning 21 in June. He is accused of making 380 wagers for more than $1,800 while underage and bet on 11 Iowa men’s basketball games and two football games.
O’Brien was a football student assistant, then a graduate assistant, and allegedly obtained his mother’s information while underage to create a FanDuel account. He is accused of making more than 350 bets for $3,047 while underage, including 11 wagers on Iowa sporting events and three involving the 2022 football team.
At Iowa State, Brock allegedly made 1,327 bets for $12,050. He is accused of wagering on four football contests, including 2022 games against Texas Tech, Iowa and Kansas State, and 11 Iowa State men’s basketball games. Brock started against Iowa and Kansas State last year and had a fumble at the Iowa goal line that was recovered by the Hawkeyes in the end zone. He was injured against Texas Tech and did not play. He is accused of using a female’s information to place the bets.
Lee is accused of making 115 bets for $885, including 21 wagers on 12 Iowa State football games in 2021 and 2022 seasons in which he played. He is accused of placing a moneyline bet against the Cyclones in 2021, when Iowa State trounced Texas 30-7 in Ames. He allegedly used his fiancée’s information.
Hanika allegedly made 288 wagers, including 70 on Iowa State basketball games, for $1,262. Remsburg allegedly made 273 bets for $1,108 with six on NCAA events but none involving Iowa State.
In May, both Iowa and Iowa State universities confirmed DCI and the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission had opened a criminal probe into illegal gambling among athletes at both schools. Under suspicion included 26 Iowa athletes and 15 at Iowa State.
Last week, county attorneys filed charges against four Iowa State athletes including Dekkers, wrestler Paniro Johnson, offensive lineman Dodge Sauser along with former Iowa State defensive lineman Eyi Uwazurike. Former Iowa athletes charged include kicker Aaron Blom, former baseball player Gehrig Christensen and former men’s basketball player Ahron Ulis, who transferred to Nebraska.
According to NCAA rules, any athlete wagering on their own university could receive a lifetime ban. Players who bet more than $800 but did not gamble on their own team — like Remsburg — are subject to a suspension lasting half of the season.
(Photo: Arland Bruce IV by Keith Gillett / IconSportswire)
