WNBA Rocked by Historic Bribery Scandal Involving Three Referees
In a stunning development that has sent shockwaves through the basketball world, three referees who officiated the recent WNBA semifinals between the Indiana Fever and the Las Vegas Aces have been terminated and fined $500,000 each after being found guilty of fraud. League officials confirmed that the trio were central figures in what is now being described as the largest bribery scandal in WNBA history.
According to an internal investigation led by the WNBA’s Integrity Unit in coordination with independent auditors, the referees were found to have accepted undisclosed payments from third-party entities with a vested interest in the outcome of the game.
The probe revealed deliberate and consistent bias in critical calls that may have influenced the final result of the high-stakes matchup.
“The integrity of the game is non-negotiable,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a press statement.
“This is a deeply troubling incident that undermines the trust of our players, teams, and fans. We are committed to full transparency and to ensuring that those responsible are held accountable.”
The referees, whose names have not yet been publicly released pending further legal proceedings, are believed to have been involved in a broader network of individuals engaged in game manipulation for financial gain. Federal authorities have reportedly launched a separate criminal investigation.
Both the Indiana Fever and the Las Vegas Aces have issued statements expressing shock and concern, calling for a thorough review of the semifinal results and safeguards to prevent future misconduct.
This scandal marks a dark chapter for the WNBA at a time when the league has been enjoying growing popularity and visibility. League officials have vowed to implement stricter oversight and more rigorous background checks for all game officials going forward.
Las Vegas Aces pick up bounce-back win over Indiana Fever, even WNBA semifinal series at 1-1
LAS VEGAS — The Aces evened their WNBA semifinal series with the Fever, 1-1, Tuesday night in Las Vegas.
This year’s WNBA MVP, A’Ja Wilson, scored 25 points and corralled nine rebounds to push the Aces to a 90-68 win. Wilson enjoyed a bounce-back performance in Game 2 of the series after amassing just 16 points on 6-of-22 shooting in Game 1.
Thanks to Wilson’s efforts, the Aces got off to a fast start. Las Vegas led 26-17 at the end of the first quarter, and with about six minutes left in the second quarter, the Aces’ lead ballooned to 17 points.
Indiana briefly appeared poised to challenge Las Vegas’ lead in the third quarter. With just under nine minutes left in the third period, point guard Odyssey Sims hit two free throws to cut Indiana’s deficit to eight, 50-42.
By the end of the third quarter, however, the Aces had reasserted their dominance, taking a 70-52 lead into the fourth quarter. When the dust settled, a play-by-play breakdown of Tuesday’s game indicated that the Fever trailed the Aces for the final 35 minutes and 16 seconds of the contest.
Las Vegas’ success can at least partly be attributed its ability to stop the Fever’s WNBA MVP finalist, Kelsey Mitchell. In Game 1 of the series, Mitchell scored 34 points. She managed just 13 points in Game 2.
The Fever’s leading scorer in Game 2 was Sims with 18 points.
Forward NaLyssa Smith also played a key role in the Aces’ win Tuesday night. She finished the game with 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting.
Smith started her WNBA career with the Fever in 2022. She played three seasons with Indiana and had a brief stint with the Dallas Wings before landing with the Aces.
Smith’s output Tuesday far exceeded her season average. On the year, she’s scored about 7.6 points a game.
Four of Indiana’s five starters scored in double figures Tuesday night, counting Sims and Mitchell. Center Aliyah Boston and guard Lexie Hull finished the contest with 10 and 15 points, respectively.
Indiana has been ravaged by injuries for much of the season, and Game 2 of the WNBA Finals was no exception. Forwards Damiris Dantas and Chloe Bibby and guards Sophie Cunningham, Sydney Colson and Caitlin Clark all missed the game with injuries.
Clark played in just 13 games in 2025. The second-year guard out of Iowa, who has been working through a groin injury, was ruled out for the remainder of this season on Sept. 4.
Cunningham played in 30 games this season before she sustained a season-ending knee injury in August.
Game 3 of the WNBA semifinal series between the Aces and Fever will begin on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Game 4 of the series is slated for Sunday 3 p.m.
