Iowa football betting scandal, explained: Players, student manager alleged to have bet on Hawkeyes games

Zac Al-Khateeb

Iowa football betting scandal, explained: Players, student manager alleged to have bet on Hawkeyes games image

Four people associated with the Iowa football program have been accused of betting on Hawkeyes games over the course of the 2021 and 2022 seasons, as originally reported by Hawk Central.

According to criminal complaints filed by Johnson County Attorney's Office, the four individuals have been charged with tampering with records. Their charges are related to an ongoing investigative probe into sports gambling at the University of Iowa, which the school said in May had identified 26 current student-athletes and 111 total individuals.

The four people identified in Thursday's criminal complaint are former receiver Arland Bruce IV (who has since transferred to Oklahoma State); safety Reggie Bracy (transferred to Troy); walk-on receiver Jack Johnson; and student manager Owen O'Brien.

Four Iowa State players — running back Jirehl Brock, offensive tackle Jake Remsburg, defensive tackle Isaiah Lee and tight end DeShawn Hanika — also face tampering with records charges as part of the probe. Their chargers were filed in Story County (Iowa).

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Here is everything you need to know about their alleged involvement in the Iowa betting scandal, including potential penalties and how much they wagered on Hawkeyes games:

Iowa football betting scandal, explained

According to the criminal complaints, each of Bruce, Bracy, Johnson and O'Brien are accused of betting on Iowa games, all of whom were underage at the time. The legal betting age in Iowa is 21 years old.

Arland Bruce IV

The criminal complaint against Bruce allege he used a DraftKings account under the name of Vincent Bruce — one he shared with Bracy — to place bets on 18 Iowa games in 2021 and 2022.

The criminal complaint alleges him of completing 132 bets totaling $4,232 — $32.89 per wager. That includes the two "under" bets in 2022: a 33-13 win over Northwestern (O/U 37.5 points) and a 21-0 win over Kentucky in the Music City Bowl (O/U 31.5). He caught three passes for 27 yards in the win vs. the Wildcats but did not participate in the bowl game.

Here are the games in which Bruce both bet on and participated in, per the criminal filing:

2021

Date Opponent Result Stats
Sept. 11 No. 9 Iowa State 27-17 win No stats
Oct. 9 No. 4 Penn State 23-20 win Two catches for 11 yards
Oct. 16 Purdue 27-4 loss One catch for 12 yards
Nov. 26 Nebraska 28-21 win One catch for 6 yards
Dec. 6 No. 2 Michigan 42-3 loss Two catches for 10 yards
Jan. 1 Kentucky 20-17 loss Four passes for 24 yards

2022

Date Opponent Result Stats
Sept. 3 SDSU 7-3 win Five catches for 69 yards, one rush for 11 yards
Sept. 24 Rutgers 24-10 win One catch for 5 yards
Oct. 1 No. 4 Michigan 27-14 loss Two catches for 7 yards
Oct. 29 Northwestern 33-13 win Three catches for 27 yards
Nov. 25 Nebraska 24-17 loss One catch for 3 yards

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Bruce transferred from Iowa following the season, ultimately ending up at Oklahoma State.

Reggie Bracy

Bracy, who allegedly shared Bruce's DraftKings account, is alleged to have placed bets on two games in which he played in 2022. He allegedly placed 66 wagers totaling $715 while underage, averaging $10.83 per bet.

Per the Iowa state penal code, tampering with records occurs when "a person ... falsifies, destroys, removes or conceals a writing or record with the intent to deceive or injure anyone or to conceal any wrongdoing."

It is an aggravated misdemeanor that carries a punishment of up to one year in county jail or up to two years in state prison and a fine between $855 to $8,540.

Zac Al-Khateeb

Zac Al-Khateeb Photo

Zac Al-Khateeb has been part of The Sporting News team since 2015 after earning his Bachelor's (2013) and Master's (2014) degrees in journalism at the University of Alabama. Prior to joining TSN, he covered high school sports and general news in Alabama. A college sports specialist, Zac has been a voter for the Biletnikoff Award and Heisman Trophy since 2020.