According to a Monday announcement from the Department of Justice (DOJ), ex-Kentucky Wildcats basketball player Kerr Kriisa has been placed under arrest and indicted on a fraud scheme with a monetary value of $2.2 million.
Originally from Estonia, with the 6-foot-3 guard playing his college basketball at each Kentucky, Cincinnati, West Virginia and Arizona through six campaigns, Kriisa “allegedly carried out a scheme to obtain nearly $2.2 million from multiple victims using false representations, fabricated identities, and deceptive communications,” per the press release from the DOJ regarding him being arrested. (RELATED: US Soccer’s Folarin Balogun Gets Red Card Suspended, Trump Reportedly Asked FIFA For Review)
In the 2025-26 season, Kriisa competed for the Bearcats, putting up an average of 5.8 points-per-game and 3.0 assists-per-game prior to a separated shoulder in February causing him to miss the remainder of the campaign.
For a total of four years, it’s alleged that Kriisa ran a scheme that saw him convince a victim into sending him money by claiming that his mother was diagnosed with cancer and required treatment, according to the DOJ.
Former college basketball player Kerr Kriisa has been arrested and indicted in connection with an alleged $2.2 million fraud scheme, the Department of Justice announced Monday.
Prosecutors allege Kriisa falsely claimed his mother had cancer to convince one victim to send him…
— ESPN (@espn) July 6, 2026
In another scheme, Kriisa allegedly posed as his mother, telling a victim that he was in need of money to “save” the farm that belongs to his family. According to the indictment from the DOJ, Kriisa was also allegedly acting as a woman called “Irene” in order to sign a false promise to provide a $100,000 repayment to the victim by a deadline in February.
It’s also alleged in the indictment that Kriisa falsely told the victim that he had a plan to sell his organs in order to obtain money for repayment.
“Financial fraud schemes erode trust and cause real harm to victims who believed they were helping someone in need,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey in the press release. “Our office will continue to pursue individuals who exploit others through deception. We are committed to holding them accountable for their actions.”
The U.S. government is looking for “forfeiture of any proceeds traceable to the alleged offenses, including a money judgment of approximately $2.2 million” that will be against Kriisa.