“In exchange for bribes ranging from $13,000 to almost $100,000 each,” he said, “these coaches allegedly pushed particular managers and advisers on the players and their families.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The FBI also claimed these individuals were giving the four assistant coaches kickbacks for help getting access to student-athletes, as well as directing high school students to Louisville and the University of Miami, two schools that have a sponsorship deal with Adidas.<\/p>\n
Over a two-year period, the FBI used an undercover agent to amass audio recordings, written communications, corroborating testimony, and financial data to produce a mountain of evidence.<\/p>\n
In one case, according to the indictment, Bland met former sports agent Christian Dawkins and an undercover FBI agent in a Las Vegas hotel room on July 29 where the USC employee told the two he had the necessary influence with players to send direct them their way, but would require money for himself and players\u2019 families to do so.<\/p>\n
USC Athletic Director Lynn Swann issued a statement attempting to distance the school from the alleged crimes.\u00a0\u201cWe were shocked to learn this morning through news reports about the FBI investigation and arrests related to NCAA basketball programs,\u201d he said, \u201cincluding the arrest of USC assistant coach Tony Bland.\u201d<\/p>\n
All Day I Dream About Sponsorship<\/h2>\n In another example described in the nearly 200-page complaint, financial planner Munish Sood and Dawkins \u201cconspired to illicitly funnel approximately $100,000\u201d from a company to one All-American basketball player.<\/p>\n
In another, Person accepted $91,000 in bribe money from a financial adviser who got new high-dollar clients by being sent players that Person coached and were headed to the NBA.<\/p>\n
Kim also described how the families of three high school players were paid thousands of dollars to allegedly commit to playing basketball at Louisville and Miami, two schools with relationships with Adidas, while also agreeing to sign endorsement deals with the sportswear company upon turning pro.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe picture painted by the charges brought today is not a pretty one,\u201d Kim said. \u201cCoaches at some of the nations top programs soliciting and accepting cash bribes. Managers and Financial advisors circling blue chip prospects like coyotes and one of the world\u2019s largest sportswear companies secretly funneling cash to the families of high school recruits.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The FBI arrested four assistant college basketball coaches on fraud and corruption charges Monday, exposing what Acting US Attorney Joon Kim of the Southern District of New York called “dark underbelly of college basketball.” Former NBA star Chuck Person of Auburn, Oklahoma State’s Lamont Evans, Arizona’s Emanuel “Book” Richardson, and USC’s Tony Bland were caught […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":42,"featured_media":59497,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,60,16],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Four NCAA Basketball Coaches Arrested in Bribe and Kickback Scandal<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n