4 more Iowa State football players charged in sports gambling probe

AMES — Iowa State running back Jirehl Brock and three other teammates face charges stemming from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s inquiry into sports gambling.

All four — Brock, tight end Deshawn Hanika, defensive tackle Isaiah Lee and offensive lineman Jake Remsburg — are alleged to have tampered with records and engaged in underage gambling, according to criminal complaints filed Thursday in Story County District Court.

All four also were starters last season and Lee is alleged to have placed a bet on Texas to win a 2021 game against Iowa State. The Cyclones won that game, 30-7. Lee also is alleged to have wagered on 11 other Iowa State football games in which he played.

Brock, who has not practiced this fall for undisclosed reasons, is alleged to have placed a total of 1,327 wagers, including four on three different Iowa State football games and 13 on Cyclone basketball games. He played in two of the Iowa State football games on which he wagered — the 2022 matchups against Iowa and Kansas State.

Hanika is accused of placing 288 mobile/online wagers, including 70 on Iowa State basketball games. Remsburg is alleged to have made 273 wagers, including six on NCAA sanctioned basketball and football games. Lee is accused of placing a total of 115 wagers.

Iowa State released the following statement after Thursday’s allegations were revealed:

“Since becoming aware of potential NCAA eligibility issues related to sports wagering by several of our student-athletes back in May, Iowa State University has been actively working to address these issues with the involved student-athletes, and that process remains ongoing,” Iowa State said in a news release. “We will continue to support our student-athletes as our compliance staff works with the NCAA to sort out questions surrounding their future eligibility for athletics competition.”

Brock, Hanika, Lee and Remsburg join last season’s starting quarterback, Hunter Dekkers, and former offensive lineman Dodge Sauser in facing charges stemming from the investigation.

Dekkers and Sauser were among those charged last week. Dekkers, through his attorney, denied the allegations. Sauser, according to an Iowa State Athletics spokesperson, voluntarily left the team.

Brock rushed for 445 yards and three touchdowns for the Cyclones last season. Hanika ranked second on the team in touchdown catches with four. Lee has made 23 career starts. Remsburg has started 13 games in his career.

All four — along with Dekkers — were projected starters for the 2023 season, which Iowa State opens at 1 p.m. Sept. 2 against Northern Iowa.

Also Thursday, the Johnson County Attorney’s Office filed charges against another four people either currently or formerly connected with the University of Iowa football team. Current player Jack Johnson, former players Reggie Bracy and Arland Bruce IV and student manager Owen O’Brien also face tampering with records charges.

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