A former college basketball standout from Estonia now faces federal charges after prosecutors say he masterminded a fraud that siphoned more than $2 million from a dozen victims.
According to the indictment, Kerr Kriisa fabricated hardships — including a relative’s cancer battle and the possible loss of his family’s farm — to convince investors to part with their money over a four‑year span.
A Career That Crossed Borders
Kriisa’s basketball journey took him from the University of Kentucky to the University of Arizona, then to West Virginia University and finally to the University of Cincinnati, where he scored 1,115 points in 127 games.
During his senior season at Arizona he appeared in all 35 games, averaging 9.9 points and 2.4 rebounds per contest, and his performance earned him a spot on the roster of the Estonian club Tartu Ülikool Maks & Moorits for the upcoming season.
The alleged fraud began while he was at West Virginia and persisted through his final year at Cincinnati, a timeline that prosecutors say stretched across the 2023‑24 season.
Although he had been slated to play for the University of Kentucky alumni team La Familia in The Basketball Tournament, his arrest forced the squad to seek a replacement, underscoring how quickly off‑court developments can disrupt on‑court plans.
The case also spotlights the growing scrutiny of athlete‑driven financial ventures, prompting university compliance offices to revisit how former players are vetted for off‑court engagements.
Bob Huggins, the former West Virginia coach who mentored Kriisa before his departure, has not publicly commented on the indictment.