FBI arrests Assistant Basketball Coaches in Corruption Scheme

[Fly Rodder]

I guess the only mention of an 8th school was from Dasher on here. KU and Indiana are the last two big public Adidas schools that haven't been implicated (yet).

 

[W'boro'Cuse315]

Completely caught up with this thread. Mood:

 

[Toga]

Rick

 

[Cusefan0307]

This is the type of stuff that can get you booted from a conference...doubt it happens but you never know.

Easy Mark I know you’re salivating for UConn to join .

 

[JimBoston]

3 years statute of limitations - anyone and any program handing out payments in that window should be sweating.

Actually, I think the number would be 6 years.

 

[Waltdods]

Any special relevancy that the US attorney for the Southern District of New York geographically speaking seems to be leading a national investigation?

As others mentioned, SDNY has often been the lead in financial crimes investigations. A couple other interrelated points, which aren't particularly promising for those caught up in this. First, I think it's fair to say that SDNY is the premier US attorneys office in the country, full of good lawyers/agents looking to make names for themselves. Maybe related t that, SDNY, particularly in recent years, has tended to take cutting-edge positions on white-collar crime. I think there's some creative lawyering going on here, but if anyone is going to have it figured out, these are probably the people for it. (I think the legal component of this scandal, as separate from the sports piece of it, may end up very interesting. I have to say I'm a little skeptical of the fraud theory that seems to be alleged.)

 

[Symphony Steve]

One of the dirtiest schools in the country. Between Pitino and Petrino it’s enough.

Not to mention that Papa John's guy. Don't know about you, but I don't want some German guy from Indiana setting the pizza standard for me.

The 'Ville represents how the nouveau riche inevitably overreach.

 

[Zelda Zonk]

Look at the maximum penalties for some of these charges. Yowza.


Chuck Connors Person
Bribery conspiracy, Solicitation of bribes, Honest services fraud conspiracy, Honest services fraud, Wire fraud conspiracy; Travel Act conspiracy (80 years)

Rashan Michel
Bribery conspiracy, Solicitation of bribes, Honest services fraud conspiracy, Honest services fraud,
Wire fraud conspiracy; Travel Act conspiracy (80 years)

Lamont Evans
Bribery conspiracy, Solicitation of bribes, Honest services fraud conspiracy, Honest services fraud,
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud; Travel Act conspiracy (80 years)

Emanuel Richardson, a/k/a “Book”
Bribery conspiracy, Solicitation of bribes, Honest services fraud conspiracy, Honest services fraud,
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud; Travel Act conspiracy (80 years)

Anthony Bland, a/k/a “Tony”
Bribery conspiracy, Solicitation of bribes, Honest services fraud conspiracy, Honest services fraud,
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud; Travel Act conspiracy (80 years)

Christian Dawkins
Bribery conspiracy, Payments of bribes, Honest services fraud conspiracy, Honest services fraud (3 counts), Wire fraud conspiracy (2 counts), Wire fraud (2 counts), Travel Act conspiracy, Money laundering conspiracy (200 years)

Munish Sood
Bribery conspiracy, Payments of bribes, Honest services fraud conspiracy, Honest services fraud (3 counts), Wire fraud conspiracy (2 counts), Wire fraud (2 counts), Travel Act conspiracy, Money laundering conspiracy (200 years)

James Gatto, a/k/a “Jim”
Wire fraud conspiracy, Wire fraud (2 counts), Money laundering conspiracy (80 years)

Merl Code
Wire fraud conspiracy, Wire fraud (2 counts), Money laundering conspiracy (80 years)

Jonathan Brad Augustine
Wire fraud conspiracy, Wire fraud (2 counts), Money laundering conspiracy (80 years)

Somehow, I'm finding sympathy for these cheating assistant coaches. They're on the hook for years and years of prison time, while the true benefactors, the higher-ups, will maintain enough 'plausible deniability' to skate if the cases are mere hearsay assertions against head coaches and administrators.

What kind of salary would an assistant need to get for sticking his neck out so far? Or, do they only get the jobs because they're willing to engage in nefarious dealings?

• Hard to see how the NCAA could justify Adidas remaining a player in collegiate athletics now.
• If the FBI had any inkling they could possibly rope in Kentucky or Duke, et al, you'd think they would have kept this under wraps until they could make those cases. In my mind, those two schools have always been the Harvard and Yale of getting great athletes to the NBA, so they were sought-after, and didn't need to resort to this level of criminality. Wouldn't surprise me if Cal had six degrees of separation from his own bag men, but i don't think he needs this. Same with Duke. As hypocritical and occasionally slimy as K can be, i don't think he's this level of slimy. There's no Quinn Snyder on his staff.

The FBI should be implying that there is much more to come, just to catalyze the fear factor, and to get more people volunteering information in exchange for free passes.

 

[TexanMark]

Not sure if any correlation here but last month I flew from Pittsburgh to San Diego and had a layover in Vegas. While waiting to board I was standing next to a younger guy all decked in Louisville gear. I struck up a conversation with him being a Cuse fan he said he was a part of the program but wouldn't elaborate what his role was, so I asked him about Pitino, it was mostly small talk but he did mention that he had just left meeting with Pitino in Vegas and was headed to San Diego to see a player. I am now wondering if I was talking to a guy who was just given his marching orders!

The FBI just left you a message on your home phone. They wanna chat.

 

[Jasoncuse]

I guess the only mention of an 8th school was from Dasher on here. KU and Indiana are the last two big public Adidas schools that haven't been implicated (yet).

The 8th university was already dealt with.

Trump University

 

[Sherman20]

here's the thing... there's gonna be A LOT of guilt by association being passed around. People are going to look at the kids who are known to have been paid and look at their final lists... if you're looking for money, not much chance you're going to put a team in your final 5 who isn't willing to pay at least something...

That's what I'm saying. The entire sport (and football too) could be implicated. From Coach K to Calipari and on down. As Jay Williams said, this is the business of college sports. Even if the schools aren't paying the players, they know their shoe companies are handling it for them.

 

[SUintheVille]

Ok, if you insist. What is UL's national ranking, and how many spots below ANY other ACC school?

First off, the major problems with the basketball program are ridiculous. I'm talking about the academics. No it doesn't rank up there with other schools, but I know some profs there who are very smart and outstanding in what they do. I actually taught a class there in the past. My daughter graduated from there and raved about the academics and was accepted to and graduated from a prestigious grad school abroad. And it's no commuter school anymore (uesd to be). Very nice campus now.

Yes, I insist.

 

[Newhouser]

and how does all this impact the big cable deals the conferences are riding? If this is the tip of the iceberg and it implicates multiple schools, sports, etc...does it open the door for the cable companies to get out from these miserable contracts?

 

[cuse10]

Somehow, I'm finding sympathy for these cheating assistant coaches. They're on the hook for years and years of prison time, while the true benefactors, the higher-ups, will maintain enough 'plausible deniability' to skate if the cases are mere hearsay assertions against head coaches and administrators.

What kind of salary would an assistant need to get for sticking his neck out so far? Or, do they only get the jobs because they're willing to engage in nefarious dealings?

• Hard to see how the NCAA could justify Adidas remaining a player in collegiate athletics now.
• If the FBI had any inkling they could possibly rope in Kentucky or Duke, et al, you'd think they would have kept this under wraps until they could make those cases. In my mind, those two schools have always been the Harvard and Yale of getting great athletes to the NBA, so they were sought-after, and didn't need to resort to this level of criminality. Wouldn't surprise me if Cal had six degrees of separation from his own bag men, but i don't think he needs this. Same with Duke. As hypocritical and occasionally slimy as K can be, i don't think he's this level of slimy. There's no Quinn Snyder on his staff.

The FBI should be implying that there is much more to come, just to catalyze the fear factor, and to get more people volunteering information in exchange for free passes.

He has Jeff Capel on his staff.

 

[RF2044]

Bruce Pearl at Auburn is probably done as a HC. He already had a show cause penalty against him before he got back into coaching a few years ago.

To hell with Bruce Pearl. He tried to rat on Syracuse's own Jimmy Collins years ago, after losing Dion Thomas to Illinois [allegations that were investigated and subsequently dismissed by the NCAA, but which might have cost Collins a shot at replacing Henson at Illinois]--and then proceeded to cheat everywhere he's been. He deserves whatever he gets.

 

[tep624]

To hell with Bruce Pearl. He tried to rat on Syracuse's own Jimmy Collins years ago, after losing Doug Edwards to Illinois--and then proceeded to cheat everywhere he's been. He deserves whatever he gets.

He's a massive terd. I hope he gets buried.

And on a side note - 8th school or not, I think there are going to be a lot more than 8 schools when all is said and done. Think about once the Feds get the recipient players to start talking about other schools that made offers - I have to imagine there are others out there not on the list yet.

 

[FrancoPizza]

This is the type of stuff that can get you booted from a conference...doubt it happens but you never know.

West Virginia always seemed like a much better fit.

 

[tep624]

Actually, I think the number would be 6 years.

If that's the case then even better.

 

[MSOrange]

To hell with Bruce Pearl. He tried to rat on Syracuse's own Jimmy Collins years ago, after losing Doug Edwards to Illinois--and then proceeded to cheat everywhere he's been. He deserves whatever he gets.

Minor correction - it was Deon Thomas they lost to Illinois. But agree fully with your sentiment on Pearl.

 

[tep624]

This is the type of stuff that can get you booted from a conference...doubt it happens but you never know.

I hadn't thought about that possibility but it is a good point...wow.

 

[triplethrea]

Somehow, I'm finding sympathy for these cheating assistant coaches. They're on the hook for years and years of prison time, while the true benefactors, the higher-ups, will maintain enough 'plausible deniability' to skate if the cases are mere hearsay assertions against head coaches and administrators.

What kind of salary would an assistant need to get for sticking his neck out so far? Or, do they only get the jobs because they're willing to engage in nefarious dealings?

• Hard to see how the NCAA could justify Adidas remaining a player in collegiate athletics now.
• If the FBI had any inkling they could possibly rope in Kentucky or Duke, et al, you'd think they would have kept this under wraps until they could make those cases. In my mind, those two schools have always been the Harvard and Yale of getting great athletes to the NBA, so they were sought-after, and didn't need to resort to this level of criminality. Wouldn't surprise me if Cal had six degrees of separation from his own bag men, but i don't think he needs this. Same with Duke. As hypocritical and occasionally slimy as K can be, i don't think he's this level of slimy. There's no Quinn Snyder on his staff.

The FBI should be implying that there is much more to come, just to catalyze the fear factor, and to get more people volunteering information in exchange for free passes.

Remember those Anthony Davis $250k rumors? Don't seem so crazy now.

If I'm a top recruit from a low income family (a majority of them), and one guy is offering me $150k to go to a great basketball school like Louisville or Arizona, why in the world would I commit to Duke or Kentucky for free? Will it change my NBA prospects that much? If you're good the NBA will find you on crappy college teams, like Lillard or McCollum. How could Duke or UNC or Kentucky possibly compete with those teams (and in fact get better recruits) without paying the players?

 

[djcon57]

Pat Forde calling for Louisville death penalty if findings are true:

Louisville basketball should be given death sentence if bombshell NCAA allegations prove true

100 percent

 

[RF2044]

Minor correction - it was Deon Thomas they lost to Illinois. But agree fully with you're sentiment on Pearl.

You're right -- thanks.

 

[tep624]

Remember those Anthony Davis $250k rumors? Don't seem so crazy now.

If I'm a top recruit from a low income family (a majority of them), and one guy is offering me $150k to go to a great basketball school like Louisville or Arizona, why in the world would I commit to Duke or Kentucky for free? Will it change my NBA prospects that much? If you're good the NBA will find you on crappy college teams, like Lillard or McCollum. How could Duke or UNC or Kentucky possibly compete with those teams (and in fact get better recruits) without paying the players?

They didn't seem crazy then. Anyone who thought that Calipari was magically pulling 6 5 stars a year on his beckoning call just because he was an expert at placing them into the NBA was either in denial or dense. Guy has cheated everywhere he has been.

Quade Green's recruitment smelled like a dead skunk for a reason.

 

[TexanMark]

Wonder if the shoe company's Board of Directors knew , what could be the company repercussions including stockholders rights in this mess? I doubt they disclosed the info to stockholders on their financials.

ADDYY down 2.5% today...the smart money is bailing.