Ex-college hoops star accused of posing as others in $2.2M scam

Former college basketball star Kerr Kriisa has been indicted on federal charges for allegedly running a sophisticated fraud scheme that defrauded two victims of nearly $2.2 million. The 25-year-old Estonian guard, who had a notable career playing for multiple U.S. universities, is accused of impersonating others to solicit money for fabricated emergencies.

A federal grand jury in West Virginia unsealed an indictment last month, detailing Kriisa's alleged activities from 2022 through June 2 of this year. According to the indictment, Kriisa posed as various individuals, including his own mother, to convince victims that he and his family urgently needed funds. He is expected to appear in federal court in West Virginia on five counts of wire fraud.

Prosecutors stated that financial fraud schemes damage trust and harm victims who believe they are assisting someone in need. Kriisa's alleged deceptions included falsely claiming to have secured a loan to repay a victim, only to later suggest he planned to sell his organs for repayment. In one instance, he allegedly posed as his mother to request money for her cancer treatments and to save the family farm.

Kriisa, a former fan favorite at Arizona known for his shooting and tenacity, later transferred to West Virginia and then Kentucky. His college career was marked by a suspension for impermissible benefits at Arizona and further transfers. The indictment also details how Kriisa, between November 2025 and early February of this year, repeatedly asked a second victim for money, sometimes impersonating a fictional person named "Irene."

“

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