Former University of Arizona basketball player Kerr Kriisa has been accused by federal prosecutors of defrauding nearly $2.2 million from multiple victims in a false-identity scheme.
The 25-year-old point guard – who played three seasons at the UA from 2020 to 2023 – pleaded not guilty to five counts of wire fraud last week, according to court documents.
Kriisa waived his right to appear at his arraignment on federal fraud charges, which had been scheduled for Thursday in Clarksburg, West Virginia. The arraignment was later cancelled.
Prosecutors allege that beginning in 2022, Kriisa fabricated various identities to ask individuals for financial assistance under false pretenses. In one alleged instance, Kriisa falsely represented to one of his victims that he and his family faced imminent danger if he did not receive money to pay a debt, according to the indictment.
The indictment also states that in April 2025, Kriisa allegedly signed a written agreement falsely promising to repay a victim of $100,000 by February 2026.
Federal prosecutors are seeking the forfeiture of any of the proceeds traced to Kriisa’s alleged schemes.
Born in Estonia, Kriisa played his freshman through junior years at the UA before transferring to West Virginia University in 2023.
Following his time as a Mountaineer, he played at the University of Kentucky before completing his college career at the University of Cincinnati.
He was reportedly planning to play professional basketball in Estonia prior to his arrest.
A plea agreement has been scheduled for Aug. 18 and jury selection for the case on Aug. 25.
Kriisa was arrested by the FBI on July 3 in Lexington, Ky., according to a report from Kentucky Sports Radio.
According to court documents, a district court in Kentucky released Kriisa from custody under certain conditions after an initial appearance hearing last week.
He requested his right to an attorney in West Virginia.
Kriisa’s arrest came days after he was announced as a member of Kentucky’s alumni team, La Familia, and was scheduled to play in The Basketball Tournament, a single-elimination tournament starting July 18 in Las Vegas.
The team said on social media that they were aware of the allegations against Kriisa and confirmed that he would no longer be competing in the tournament.
