Former UK guard Kerr Kriisa to be released from jail, but faces travel restrictions
Former University of Kentucky basketball Kerr Kriisa made his first appearance in a Kentucky federal courtroom Tuesday for five counts of wire fraud, the proceeds of which allegedly totaled more than $2 million.
Kriisa, a 25-year-old Estonian national, appeared in court shackled, wearing a black Nike UK basketball t-shirt depicting a blue wildcat and black basketball shorts.
The former Kentucky guard is accused of fraudulently trying to obtain money through several victims by pretending to be different members of his family, saying they are facing family emergencies, according to the indictment. The charging document was filed June 2, but was made publicly available over a month later after Kriisa was arrested.
Kriisa posed as family members, and fictional people, to try and convince victims to send money, according to his indictment.
Despite his charges originating in West Virginia, Kriisa was arraigned in a federal courtroom in Lexington Tuesday. He will need to appear in court in West Virginia in accordance with his warrant.
At his appearance Tuesday, the judge granted Kriisa to be released from jail under the conditions that he not violate state or federal law, turn over his passport and have no contact with victims or witnesses. He will remain in Kentucky, but travel to West Virginia for his court dates.
Tuesday’s appearance was to address administrative technicalities with transferring the case to West Virginia, and to make sure Kriisa understood his rights. He did not enter a plea.
His attorney, Rawl Kazee, was appointed for Kriisa’s intial hearing. He declined to comment on Kriisa’s case.
Kriisa was a guard at UK during the 2024-25 season. He appeared in nine games, averaging 4.4 points and 3.8 assists per game. After scoring eight points in Kentucky’s overtime victory over Gonzaga, he suffered a foot injury that ended his season.
UK was Kriisa’s third stop during his six-year college basketball career. He played three seasons at Arizona and one at West Virginia before his season at Kentucky.
He was granted an additional year of eligibility after his injury at Kentucky and closed his college career this past season at Cincinnati. La Familia, Kentucky’s team in The Basketball Tournament, announced on X that Kriisa would no longer be playing for the team, referencing “allegations regarding” him.
The indictment says federal prosecutors will seek to make Kriisa forfeit about $2.2 million in proceeds gained from the scheme. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.
Kriisa’s next court appearance will be July 16 at 2:30 p.m. in Clarksburg, West Virginia.
This story was originally published July 7, 2026 at 1:55 PM.
