Fraud, Fantasy Football Style

Fantasy sports, and fantasy football in particular, are an ever-present aspect of today’s modern sports world. In fact, the Fantasy Sports and Gaming Association – yes, there is such a thing – estimates that approximately 46 million Americans and Canadians participate in fantasy football, based on a 2017 survey. So how exactly did two otherwise anonymous participants of FF manage to game the system?

Introducing Tanner and Jade Tolbert, Z-List celebrities whose collective claim to fame to this point was being contestants on the reality show “Bachelor in Paradise.” Reports allege the couple colluded while partaking in DraftKings’ popular Millionaire Maker, a fantasy football contest wherein participants select a lineup of nine players at select positions from at least two games. As “luck” would have it, during the NFL’s wild card playoff round in early January, Jade happened to compile the top score among all participants, earning her the $1 million grand prize. Some lesser-known, albeit vigilant, participants smelled a rat and decided to do some investigation. Their work unveiled that not only did Jade and Tanner each enter the maximum amount of individual entries (150 lineups), but that no two lineups across the couple’s entries were the same. To other participants, this reeked of collusion.

DraftKings, to their credit, has been quick to respond, with CEO Jason Robins announcing one day after the event that the company has begun an investigation into the allegations. The company’s guidelines explicitly state that “Team-building complementary lineups which serve to work together AND executing a strategy that may create any unfair advantage over individual play” as well as “Entering the maximum number of entries in a contest, type of contest, or event, and having a 3rd party, regardless of their relationship, put in additional entries for you” both constitute unacceptable behavior. Whether in fact these guidelines were breached remains to be seen, but many will be looking to see if these minor “celebrities” indeed committed fraud, fantasy football style.

If you have any questions regarding potential fraud schemes or internal controls at your organization, please contact the Business Advisory group at Schneider Downs.

You’ve heard our thoughts… We’d like to hear yours

The Schneider Downs Our Thoughts On blog exists to create a dialogue on issues that are important to organizations and individuals. While we enjoy sharing our ideas and insights, we’re especially interested in what you may have to say. If you have a question or a comment about this article – or any article from the Our Thoughts On blog – we hope you’ll share it with us. After all, a dialogue is an exchange of ideas, and we’d like to hear from you. Email us at [email protected].

Material discussed is meant for informational purposes only, and it is not to be construed as investment, tax, or legal advice. Please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, this information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice.

© 2024 Schneider Downs. All rights-reserved. All content on this site is property of Schneider Downs unless otherwise noted and should not be used without written permission.

our thoughts on
Frauds of the Rich and the Famous: The Star-studded Saga of Jennifer Shah
Frauds of the Rich and Famous: The FTX Collapse and the Chrisleys
Frauds of the Rich and Famous: Billy McFarland and The Fyre Festival
Fraud Week 2023: Frauds of the Rich and the Famous
Tips to Minimize the Risk of Check Washing
Personal Goodwill Valuations
Register to receive our weekly newsletter with our most recent columns and insights.
Have a question? Ask us!

We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a note, and we’ll respond to you as quickly as possible.

Ask us
contact us
Pittsburgh

This site uses cookies to ensure that we give you the best user experience. Cookies assist in navigation, analyzing traffic and in our marketing efforts as described in our Privacy Policy.

×