United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of West Virginia
10/08/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/08/2026 13:08
Former College Basketball Player Admits to Fraud
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA - A former college basketball player and Estonian national has admitted to carrying out a fraud scheme totaling millions of dollars, U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey announced today.
Kerr Kriisa, 25, pleaded guilty to a single count of wire fraud. According to the plea agreement, he sent one of the victims an email in February 2026 holding himself out to be "Irene," a fictious email he created to further his scheme to defraud. In the email, he demanded a payment of $9,000 to avoid litigation and publicity regarding a financial dispute "Irene" had with him.
"Financial fraud is not a game, and those who choose to deceive and exploit others will be held accountable. Mr. Kriisa's years-long scheme caused real harm, and today's plea underscores that this office will pursue anyone who engages in conduct like this, regardless of any notoriety or success they may have achieved. We will continue to stand with our law-enforcement partners to uncover fraud, defend victims, and ensure that offenders face serious federal consequences," said U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
According to the indictment, the February 2026 incident was one of many acts Kriisa took to defraud two individuals of millions of dollars in a scheme dating back to at least 2022 when Kriisa played basketball for the University of Arizona. For example, the indictment alleged that Kriisa repeatedly sought payments from two victims and, at times, instructed one victim to transfer money to the other under false pretenses and once fraudulently signed an agreement promising to repay one of the victims but never did.
Kriisa previously played basketball for the University of Arizona, West Virginia University, the University of Kentucky, and the University of Cincinnati.
Kriisa is scheduled to be sentenced on December 22, 2026.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas is prosecuting the case, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation is conducting the investigation.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
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