NBC News: "The FBI Has Arrested Several NCAA Assistant Basketball Coaches"

[sdshox]

Per twitter: The FBI Has arrested several NCAA assistant basketball coaches in a fraud and corruption probe. NCAA-related arrests were made across the country last night, a senior law enforcement official tells NBC News. A press conference is scheduled for Noon ET today at the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.

Obviously breaking, and no idea of impact locally, regionally, etc.

Source: https://twitter.com/NBCNews/status/912669827822751744

[sdshox]

Four coaches named:
Lamont Evans, Okla State
Chuck Person, Auburn
Emmanuel Richardson, Arizona
Tony Bland, USC

More to come...

[jdshock]

Four coaches named:
Lamont Evans, Okla State
Chuck Person, Auburn
Emmanuel Richardson, Arizona
Tony Bland, USC

More to come...

Sounds like Adidas has some involvement too: http://www.businessinsider.com/colle...arrests-2017-9

[Stickboy46]

Sounds like Adidas has some involvement too: http://www.businessinsider.com/colle...arrests-2017-9

What's curious to me is that all of those things listed appear to only be violations of NCAA rules (payments to players etc etc), not anything you can actually be arrested for. I'm curious was the actual fraud was.

[sdshox]

Full complaints are here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr...nce-advisory-2

Essentially looks like an extortion type of case, where agents/etc were throwing money at the four assistant coaches, who were then directing the athletes to an agency or shoe brand. Becomes a fraud case as they're linking it as a bribe being paid to the coaches to exert influence over the kids.

[Stickboy46]

Four coaches named:
Lamont Evans, Okla State
Chuck Person, Auburn
Emmanuel Richardson, Arizona
Tony Bland, USC

More to come...

Well .. guess we know how Zona was starting to win recruiting battles ...

[sdshox]

Darren Rovell: "Adidas Head of Sports Marketing Jim Gatto, with others, paid high school players to go to Adidas schools, then sign with Adidas later."

And now the underbelly of why a UA/Nike swap might not be supported by all shows its head in black and white...

[Stickboy46]

Apparently Louisville is also linked to this ... anyone surprised?

EDIT: report is 100k to Bowen for his committment, which is why a 5 star recruit suddenly changed his mind and committed to a school that wasn't a leader for him.

[RoyalShock]

Auburn . . . Bruce Pearl . . . anyone surprised?

[Fairgame]

Auburn? Did they say Auburn? Isn't the head coach of Auburn Bruce Pearl? Why in the world would Auburn hire Bruce "he of lying to the NCAA investigators" Pearl?

[asiseeit]

Depending on results does this reshuffle the deck some on recruiting allowing
some of them to back out of their letters of intent?

[jdshock]

Auburn . . . Bruce Pearl . . . anyone surprised?

[Stickboy46]

Depending on results does this reshuffle the deck some on recruiting allowing
some of them to back out of their letters of intent?

Could be lots of implications. Might see a few players lose eligibilty and I'm sure a few assistants/head coaches will be losing their jobs.

[RoyalShock]

Gary Parrish @GaryParrishCBS

It appears federal authorities are alleging Brian Bowen’s family received approximately $100,000 to ensure his commitment to Louisville.

Jason Riley @JasonRileyWDRB
A UofL assistant coach acknowledged to defendants that since the university was on probation, they needed to keep it on down low

WOW

Jason Riley @JasonRileyWDRB
On July 27, an assistant coach from the "university" met with the defendants in a Las Vegas hotel room. The FBI was recording.

Jason Riley @JasonRileyWDRB

This was a high school basketball player who was expected to graduate in 2019.
"The mom is like ... we need our ****ing money"

.

[Stickboy46]

There is also mention in paragraph 36(e) about bidding wars between companies for a recruit. Coaches having to go back to the apparel companies to get more money for the families because the other company bid more. So this isn't just limited to Adidas ...