This FBI case causes me to apologize to Jim Boeheim

[br801]

I've suspected money under the table for a long time now. I just can't believe Duke and UK are not somehow involved given the number of 5-stars they get every year. And Kansas too. Who would ever want to go to Kansas? I would rather watch corn grow than live in Kansas.

You can do both there.

 

[SUbear]

Ok and that breaks what law? Ultimately the kid chooses an agent. A coach advertising an agent is illegal?

No but accepting cash is. Bribery laws. Illegal cash transfer laws. Tax evasion(felony level). Probably others but those are off the top of my head.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Agreed on rICO. I guess my point was that there are two distinct sets of charges: first against the coaches and then against the corporate dudes.

Everything I learned about RICO I learned from Better Call Saul.

And Napoleon Dynamite.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

No but accepting cash is. Bribery laws. Illegal cash transfer laws. Tax evasion(felony level). Probably others but those are off the top of my head.

Bribery laws wouldn't apply IMO to anyone involved. Unless you want to stretch that public school coaches into being government officials, but that doesn't pertain to the private school coaches.

Paying someone money in of itself in the private sector isn't against the law unless it defrauds people. Also how is paying a kid in cash different than paying him in tuition?

So who exactly was defrauded here? Just the IRS IMO. Had these guys claimed the money on their tax return but hid the income from their employers, they would be out of a job but also out of jail.

 

[AZOrange]

Everything I learned about RICO I learned from Better Call Saul.

And Napoleon Dynamite.

I can't object to that.

 

[AZOrange]

Bribery laws wouldn't apply IMO to anyone involved. Unless you want to stretch that public school coaches into being government officials, but that doesn't pertain to the private school coaches.

Paying someone money in of itself in the private sector isn't against the law unless it defrauds people. Also how is paying a kid in cash different than paying him in tuition?

So who exactly was defrauded here? Just the IRS IMO. Had these guys claimed the money on their tax return but hid the income from their employers, they would be out of a job but also out of jail.

Uh no...

 

[PeteCalvin]

Everything I learned about RICO I learned from Better Call Saul.

And Napoleon Dynamite.

And The Dark Knight. But we saw how that worked out for Harvey Dent.

 

[retro44]

I would be amazed, flat-out head-sewn-to-the-carpet stunned if any of the 60-odd big conference schools never steered money to a high school kid or his family. And I'm not talking about "helped out with a medical procedure" or "arranged a car" or "covered Mom's rent check."

It's a universal practice at the highest level. Kentucky does it, Northwestern and Stanford do it, and so does everyone in between.

That is why it is a joke for universities paying these kids cash stipends of a few thousand and more to attend because these kids will still chase down the dirty money no matter what. It will not solve a thing.

grad students who are paying their way to attend and who are in research and to what they research helps patent breakthrough products does make these same universities a lot of money. Pay them first.

 

[brandokc]

I've suspected money under the table for a long time now. I just can't believe Duke and UK are not somehow involved given the number of 5-stars they get every year. And Kansas too. Who would ever want to go to Kansas? I would rather watch corn grow than live in Kansas.

Lawrence is far from a backwater and playing at the Phog has to be pretty amazing.

 

[Stevenson]

Who is the victim? what is the crime? Besides tax fraud?

 

[shantydaze]

Tax fraud is a pretty big deal and people, even famous people, go to jail for it - see Richard Hatch (Survivor winner) and Wesley Snipes. Also, Adidas is a publicly traded company. I wonder how these payments were hidden, I mean categorized? There could be issues with the corporation's required disclosures.

 

[Shark58]

he wore a diamond

 

[cuseattle]

he wore a diamond

Copacabana??

 

[kidorange]

 

[SoBeCuse]

Lawrence is far from a backwater and playing at the Phog has to be pretty amazing.

Not to mention it's what, 45 min-1hr, from an awesome place. Kansas City.

 

[Newhouser]

There are tax fraud implications for all this money, too.

and for all the DOJ, FBI and whatever federal dudes are knocking at your door - the IRS is the last one you want. They will get you.

 

[Newhouser]

Right. Agreed. To Alsacs' point...Boeheim is a man of integrity and would not ever take bribes. He may be too laissez-faire in terms of policing what is going on with the kids at SU or too lax with the teaching of fundamentals, but, the man has integrity.

I get your point but we don't - or should say I don't - know anything about his integrity. I know there are friends of his on the Board who will tell you he is of the highest integrity, but we never know what anyone is truly like, and there are enough stories out there that I know not related to basketball, that would make me take a wait and see approach on integrity. As is proven often just because you're a priest doesn't make you a saint.

 

[FrancoPizza]

There's a bit of a double-standard going on here I think. The knee-jerk reaction is to praise JB because he would never take bribes, but that's a gross oversimplification of the issue. I could easily envision a scenario where the shoe companies, AAU coaches, or other greasy wheels would try to make things happen without JB's knowledge knowing he doesn't run the tightest ship. Many defended JB during the sanctions because "he couldn't possibly know" everything that goes on. Well, that same hands-off approach could create opportunities for other types of shenanigans to fester. Not saying or implying that those things are happening, but all it takes is one crack in the honor code with 1 booster or 1 assistant.

 

[SWC75]

There's a bit of a double-standard going on here I think. The knee-jerk reaction is to praise JB because he would never take bribes, but that's a gross oversimplification of the issue. I could easily envision a scenario where the shoe companies, AAU coaches, or other greasy wheels would try to make things happen without JB's knowledge knowing he doesn't run the tightest ship. Many defended JB during the sanctions because "he couldn't possibly know" everything that goes on. Well, that same hands-off approach could create opportunities for other types of shenanigans to fester. Not saying or implying that those things are happening, but all it takes is one crack in the honor code with 1 booster or 1 assistant.

The fact that the NCAA investigated us for a decade, looking for some thing to get us on and didn't come up with anything like this suggests to me that we are OK this time around.

 

[CorduroyG]

CLASSIC !!!!!

 

[FrancoPizza]

The fact that the NCAA investigated us for a decade, looking for some thing to get us on and didn't come up with anything like this suggests to me that we are OK this time around.

I don't think anyone is fretting too much, but that wasn't the point. If you play P5 ball you're at risk no matter who the head coach is.

 

[SUbear]

Bribery laws wouldn't apply IMO to anyone involved. Unless you want to stretch that public school coaches into being government officials, but that doesn't pertain to the private school coaches.

Paying someone money in of itself in the private sector isn't against the law unless it defrauds people. Also how is paying a kid in cash different than paying him in tuition?

So who exactly was defrauded here? Just the IRS IMO. Had these guys claimed the money on their tax return but hid the income from their employers, they would be out of a job but also out of jail.

Oh you are probably right these guys never did anything illegal, and this is just persecution by the US Justce Dept. sic

 

[SUbear]

Who is the victim? what is the crime? Besides tax fraud?

I do not have any idea yet, but I do know they sent away Al Capone for good and always on tax fraud charges, not murder, embezzlement or any of that, tax fraud!

 

[AZOrange]

I do not have any idea yet, but I do know they sent away Al Capone for good and always on tax fraud charges, not murder, embezzlement or any of that, tax fraud!

Well not for good but you're right on the rest

 

[SWC75]

When they decide you are a bad guy, they'll find some way to prosecute you. The law is an imperfect tool for justice.