Former college basketball player Kerr Kriisa, who played across four major universities during a six-year career, has been arrested and indicted on federal fraud charges after allegedly running a four-year scheme that defrauded victims of nearly $2.2 million. The indictment was unsealed Monday following his arrest on July 3 by FBI agents in Lexington, Kentucky.
Kriisa, a 25-year-old guard from Estonia, stands accused of five counts of wire fraud. According to the indictment, he used false representations, fabricated identities, and deceptive communications to obtain money from multiple victims between 2022 and June 2, 2026. The scheme involved posing as various individuals, including family members and a fictional person named “Irene,” while making false claims about family emergencies and urgent financial needs.
The fraud allegations paint a disturbing picture of manipulation spanning years. According to court documents, Kriisa told one victim his mother had cancer and needed treatment. He also posed as his own mother in emails and messages, claiming he needed money to pay for cancer treatments and to save the family farm in Estonia. In another deceptive tactic, he falsely told a victim in November 2022 that he intended to sell his organs to repay a loan.
The scheme allegedly targeted two primary victims over an extended period. With the first victim, fraudulent contact extended from August 2022 through April 2025. Kriisa directed repeated payments from both victims and in some instances had one victim send money to the other based on false pretenses. In April 2025, he signed a written agreement promising to repay one victim $100,000 by February 2026, which prosecutors say was fraudulent.
From November 2025 through early February 2026, Kriisa allegedly targeted a second victim by posing as the fictional contact “Irene,” sending emails and text messages requesting money. The five specific wire fraud counts in the indictment correspond to wire transmissions made between February 1 and February 4, 2026.
Kriisa’s basketball career spanned Arizona, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Cincinnati. At Arizona, he became a standout performer, leading the Pac-12 in assists per game for two consecutive seasons and ranking 20th nationally in total assists during his junior year when he averaged 9.9 points and 5.14 assists per game. He became the first Pac-12 player to lead the conference in assists in back-to-back years since 2000 and 2001.
His career path included significant disruptions. Before joining Arizona in 2020, he served an NCAA suspension due to compensation he received while playing professionally in Estonia. During his time at West Virginia in the 2023-24 season, he was suspended for the first nine games after admitting he received impermissible benefits while at Arizona. Once eligible, he returned to lead his team in three-pointers made and averaged 11 points and 4.7 assists per game.
Kriisa played just nine games during the 2024-25 season at Kentucky before a foot injury sidelined him. He transferred to Cincinnati for his final year of eligibility and started 12 games before suffering a separated shoulder in February that ended his season.
The timing of his arrest came just days after Kriisa was announced as a member of La Familia, Kentucky’s alumni team competing in The Basketball Tournament. He had been in Lexington to promote his participation in the tournament when FBI agents arrested him. La Familia subsequently announced he would no longer participate.
U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey commented on the case, stating that “financial fraud schemes erode trust and cause real harm to victims who believed they were helping someone in need.” Harvey added that his office would continue to pursue individuals who exploit others through deception and is committed to holding them accountable.
The government is seeking forfeiture of approximately $2.2 million in proceeds allegedly traceable to the fraud. Kriisa is expected to appear in federal court in West Virginia this week to face the five wire fraud counts. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas is prosecuting the case. The charging document was filed June 2, with the case unsealed publicly nearly a month later following his arrest.