Sports Gambling Investigation: 3 Current/Former Hawkeyes Charged

Charges have been announced against three current and former Iowa Hawkeyes as a gambling probe of college athletes continues.

Johnson County Attorney Rachel Zimmermann Smith has announced charges against an Iowa football player, a former Hawkeye men's basketball player, and a former Iowa baseball player. The charges all stem from a continuing gambling investigation involving the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

Iowa Football Player Charged

Aaron Blom, a native of Oskaloosa, Iowa, and a kicker on the Hawkeyes football team has been charged with Tampering with Records. The charge is an aggravated misdemeanor.

According to a criminal complaint, Blom used his mother's name to make 170 wagers on DraftKings, totaling over $4,400, before being of legal age to gamble. The criminal complaint says 8 of the wagers were "placed on University of Iowa sporting events, including one 'under total points" sports wager on the 2021 Iowa vs. Iowa State football game." Blom was on the Iowa roster but did not play in that game.

The criminal complaint states that both Aaron Blom and his mother were aware that Aaron was using his mother's name to make the wagers.

Blom, a junior, is 1 for 3 in field goal attempts during his Iowa career. He is 1 for 1 on points after touchdown attempts.

Former Iowa Men's Basketball Player Charged

Ahron Ulis, a member of the Iowa men's basketball team from 2020 through March 2023 has also been charged with Tampering with Records.

According to the criminal complaint, Ulis made about 1,850 wagers on FanDuel using his older brother's information. In total, the wagers totaled over $34,800 with more than 440 of them made before Ulis reached the legal gambling age of 21.

The criminal complaint states "at least one wager (was) placed on a University of Iowa sporting event and over 430 wagers were placed on NCAA sanctioned basketball and football games."

Ahron Ulis, a native of Chicago, Illinois, averaged 4 points and 1.6 rebounds per game during three seasons at Iowa. He transferred to Nebraska this spring.

Former Iowa Baseball Player Charged

Gehrig Christensen, a native of Urbandale, Iowa, has also been charged with Tampering with Records.

According to a criminal complaint, Christensen used a DraftKings account registered in his mother's name to make about 559 wagers. A total of more than $2,400 was wagered, with "approximately 23 wagers placed on University of Iowa sporting events." Christensen won't turn 21, the legal gambling age in Iowa, until January of 2024.

Christensen's mother told Iowa DCI agents that she was aware her son was using her account and that she assisted him in creating the account. Gehrig told authorities he wagers "mostly on NBA games."

Gehrig Christensen played in 11 games this past season, with only 14 plate appearances. He is not on the Iowa roster for next season.