ten people involved @ highest levels of college basketball, including 4 assistant coaches , senior executive @ adidas, facing federal bribery, fraud , other corruption charges, prosecutors in manhattan announced on tuesday.
united states attorney southern district of new york said in statement since 2015 f.b.i. , federal prosecutors have been investigating “the criminal influence of money on coaches , student-athletes participate in intercollegiate basketball governed n.c.a.a.”
investigation has revealed “numerous instances” of bribes paid athlete advisers, , others, assistant coaches , directly student-athletes @ n.c.a.a. division universities, complaint said. bribes designed commitments college stars work specific agents , companies after turned professional, or convince coveted high schoolers attend specific universities.
“the picture painted charges not pretty one,” joon h. kim, acting united states attorney southern district, said.
among charged chuck person, assistant coach @ auburn, star player. played 13 years in n.b.a., prominently indiana pacers. assistant coaches @ arizona, oklahoma state , southern california charged.
1 of 3 complaints charges 5 people wire fraud , money laundering in scheme pay high school athletes attend particular universities. charged include james gatto, identified head of global sports marketing, basketball “company-1.” though company not named, mr. gatto works adidas in role.
complaint says $100,000 paid family of “player-10,” heavily recruited high school standout, steer him particular college. says contemporary news accounts described college decision, announced past june, surprise. payments arranged other players’ families well, complaint says, including 1 had not yet begun junior year of high school.
player receive $100,000 , university recruiting him not named, college identified being in kentucky, , details point university of louisville, has identical enrollment program in question. summer, louisville signed 10-year, $160 million apparel contract adidas.
adidas said in statement: “today, became aware federal investigators arrested adidas employee. learning more situation. we’re unaware of misconduct , cooperate authorities understand more.”
complaint charges mr. person abused coaching position @ auburn solicit , obtain bribes financial adviser , business manager professional athletes, in return agreeing direct players program adviser when entered n.b.a
mr. person accepted total of $91,500 in case, complaint says, , accused of passing on $18,500 families of 2 athletes. adviser, not identified, has been cooperating authorities, complaint says. mr. person faces bribery, wire fraud , other charges.
mr. kim emphasized trust young players put in coaches , noted mr. person had boasted of 1 player: “he listens 1 person — me.”
third complaint charged other 3 assistant coaches solicitation of bribery accepting payments steer players specific agents. coaches named lamont evans, assistant @ oklahoma state , former assistant @ south carolina; emanuel richardson, assistant @ arizona; , tony bland, assistant @ u.s.c.
complaints did not implicate head coaches, perhaps reasons explained 1 of defendants in audio recording of secret meeting. according transcript of comments prospective agent, christian dawkins, path securing commitments college athletes through assistant coaches, because head coaches “ain’t willing [take bribes], cause they’re making money. , it’s risky.”
accusations appeared catch of universities off guard. arizona said “appalled” @ charges, , said richardson had been “immediately suspended , relieved of duties.” oklahoma state said had learned of accusations on tuesday morning, , said evans, athletic department biography labels him “
one of nation’s respected recruiters,” has been suspended.
u.s.c., expressing similar surprise @ complaint, said had placed bland, trojans’ associate head coach, on immediate administrative leave. university said had hired firm of former f.b.i. director louis freeh conduct internal investigation. “we cooperate investigation , assist authorities needed,” u.s.c. said, “and if these allegations true, take needed actions.”
illegal inducements , benefits athletes come no surprise followers of college sports, , n.c.a.a. has long struggled police rules violations @ member universities. many times, violations have been exposed in vivid detail: department store discounts florida state football players, cash payments michigan’s so-called fab 5 , strippers provided louisville basketball recruits.
louisville punished stripper scandal in june, when n.c.a.a.
placed cardinals
on probation, suspended coach rick pitino 5 games , ordered university forfeit dozens of games — potentially including cardinals’ 2013 national championship. sanctions announced june 15 — less 2 weeks, tuesday’s complaints claim, after louisville coach accused of taking part in plan funnel $100,000 recruit.
jim calhoun, longtime basketball coach @ connecticut, said: “the shoe companies have always, through grass roots, a.a.u., tried young great players stay sneakers. remember kids getting swag, trips. don’t remember kids getting money.
“i shouldn’t it’s beyond belief, give money wrong thing. stuff disturbing.”
dave paulsen, head coach @ george mason, said on twitter: “sickened but, unfortunately, not shocked these revelations. horrible stain on our profession.”
benjamin weiser contributed reporting.
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