It’s been a crazy day following the news that ten people, including four current NCAA coaches, have been charged in conjunction with a fraud and corruption scandal. Here’s a quick re-cap of what’s been happening:
The Story:
Four high major assistant basketball coaches reportedly took cash bribes to deliver star athletes to a financial adviser or an agent. The feds have been investigating the criminal influence of money on coaches and student-athletes who participate in intercollegiate basketball governed by the NCAA. It has been reported that all four of the coaches involved have been arrested. According to the report, “The investigation has revealed several instances in which coaches have exercised influence by steering players and their families to retain particular advisers, not because of the merits of those advisers, but because the coaches were being bribed by the advisers to do so.”
The United States Attorney’s Office described the investigation as such: “Since 2015, the FBI and USAO have been investigating the criminal influence of money on coaches and student-athletes who participate in intercollegiate basketball governed by the NCAA. As relevant here, the investigation has revealed numerous instances of bribes paid by athletic advisors, including financial advisors and business managers, among others, to assistant and associate basketball coaches employed by NCAA Division I universities as facilitated by the coaches, in exchange for those coaches exerting influence over student-athletes under their control to retain the services of the bribe-payers once the athletes enter the National Basketball Association.”
The “Players”:
- Chuck Person, associate head coach at Auburn
- Lamont Evans, associate head coach/recruiting coordinator at Oklahoma State
- Emanuel “Book” Richardson, assistant coach at Arizona
- Tony Bland, associate head coach at Southern Cal
- James Gatto, director of global sports marketing at Adidas
- Merl Code, recently left Nike for Adidas
- Christian Dawkins, NBA agent who was fired in May from ASM Sports for charging approximately $42,000 in Uber charges on a player’s credit card
- Jonathan Brad Augustine, president of The League Initiative and program director of the Adidas-sponsored 1 Family AAU program
- Munish Sood, financial adviser
- Rashan Michel, former NBA official who founded Thompson Bespoke Clothing, a custom clothier for athletes
The Court Documents:
- The 59-page complaint vs Evans, Richardson, and Bland can be found HERE.
- The 32-page complaint vs Person can be found HERE.
The Reaction:
- “We were shocked to learn this morning through news reports about the FBI investigation and arrests related to NCAA basketball programs, including the arrest of USC assistant Tony Bland. USC Athletics maintains the highest standards in athletic compliance across all of our programs and does not tolerate misconduct in any way. We will cooperate fully with the investigation and will assist authorities as needed, and if these allegations are true, will take the needed actions.” – USC AD Lynn Swann
- “We were surprised to learn this morning of potential actions against one of our assistant basketball coaches by federal officials. We are reviewing and investigating the allegations. We are cooperating fully with officials. Let it be clear we take very seriously the high standards of conduct expected in our athletic department. We will not tolerate any deviation from those standards.” – Statement from Oklahoma State Athletics
HoopDirt.com will have more on this fast moving story as details develop.
