FBI Arrests Ex-College Sports Star on Fraud Charges

Kerr Kriisa, 25, is accused of staging a $2.2 million fraud scheme involving alleged fake reports that his mother has cancer, he and his family are in danger and urgently need money to save a family farm.

Juliette Fairley

Published: 7/6/2026, 3:25:46 PM EDT

FBI Arrests Ex-College Sports Star on Fraud Charges — The seal of the FBI hangs in the Flag Room at the bureau's headquarters in Washington on March 9, 2007. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The FBI arrested a former NCAA University of Kentucky basketball player after he was indicted on five counts of wire fraud.

Kerr Kriisa, 25, is accused of staging a $2.2 million fraud scheme involving alleged fake reports that his mother has cancer, he and his family are in danger, and urgently need money to save a family farm.

The Northern District of West Virginia grand jury indictment alleges that Kriisa posed as various individuals, including fictional contacts and family members.

“The defendant, KERR KRIISA, devised and intended to devise a scheme and artifice to defraud and obtain money by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises, and for the purpose of executing the scheme and artifice to defraud and obtain money, did knowingly transmit and cause to be transmitted in interstate and foreign commerce, by means ofwire communications, certain signs and signals,” the indictment states.

Kriisa is a native of Estonia, a Baltic state in Northern Europe, who also played guard for West Virginia, Arizona, and Cincinnati during his college basketball career.

He played with the University of Arizona from 2020-23, West Virginia University from 2023 to 2024, the University of Kentucky from 2024 to 2025, and the University of Cincinnati from 2025 to 2026.

Kentucky's The Basketball Tournament (TBT) team La Familia had recently announced his participation.

However, on X, team leaders said in a July 5 post, “We're aware of the allegations regarding Kerr Kriisa. Kerr will not be competing with La Familia during the TBT Tournament. We will have no further comment."

The fraud scheme allegedly dates back to Kriisa’s time playing with ⁠the West Virginia University Mountaineers.

He allegedly requested multiple payments from two victims and, at times, directed one to send money to the other under dishonest pretexts, according to the Department of Justice. Numerous emails and text messages were sent as part of the scheme, including five specific wire transmissions tied to the charged counts.

In April 2025, the DOJ further alleges that Kriisa signed a written agreement, falsely promising to repay one victim $100,000 by February 2026.

The government is seeking forfeiture of any proceeds traceable to the alleged offenses, including a money judgment of approximately $2.2 million.

“Financial fraud schemes erode trust and cause real harm to victims who believed they were helping someone in need,” U.S. Attorney Matthew Harvey said in a statement. “Our office will continue to pursue individuals who exploit others through deception. We are committed to holding them accountable for their actions.”

Kriisa averaged 8.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 28.1 ⁠minutes in 127 games in his college career.

Reuters contributed to this report.