Former college basketball player charged in alleged $2.2 million wire fraud scheme

Former college basketball player Kerr Kriisa, a 25-year-old Estonian national, was arrested and will appear in federal court this week on five counts of wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey announced.

According to court documents, Kriisa allegedly carried out a scheme between 2022 and June 2, 2026, in Monongalia County, West Virginia, and elsewhere, obtaining nearly $2.2 million from multiple victims through false representations, fabricated identities and deceptive communications. The indictment alleges Kriisa posed as various individuals, including fictional contacts and family members, and falsely claimed that he and his family were in danger, that his mother needed cancer treatment, or that family property required urgent financial support.

“Financial fraud schemes erode trust and cause real harm to victims who believed they were helping someone in need,” 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.”

The indictment alleges Kriisa requested repeated payments from two victims and, at times, directed one victim to send money to the other under false pretenses. Court documents describe numerous emails and text messages sent in furtherance of the scheme, including five specific wire transmissions tied to the charged counts.

In April 2025, Kriisa allegedly signed a written agreement promising to repay one victim $100,000 by February 2026, which prosecutors allege was also fraudulent.

Kriisa played college basketball for the University of Arizona, West Virginia University, the University of Kentucky and the University of Cincinnati.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas is prosecuting the case, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating, officials said.

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An indictment is merely an allegation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

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