University of Arizona Men’s Basketball Coach Accused of Offering $100,000 to Star Player

On February 25, 2018, ESPN reported that the FBI had several wiretapped conversations between the University of Arizona Wildcats’ head coach, Sean Miller, and Christian Dawkins. Reportedly, the two had several conversations about paying $100,000 to guarantee that freshman star center, Deandre Ayton, signed with Arizona. As we have previously reported, Dawkins currently stands accused of facilitating six-figure payments to basketball players and their families in exchange for promises that the players would enroll at Adidas sponsored NCAA Division I schools and later would …

February 26, 2018 NCAA

NCAA Corruption/Bribery Case Update

On February 21, 2018, Yahoo Sports reported that financial records, documents, and wiretaps tied to prominent former NBA agent, Andy Miller, and his former associate, Christian Dawkins, have provided the prosecution with a detailed window into the ongoing NCAA Corruption and Bribery case. As we have continued to report, this case involves Adidas executive Jim Gatto, Adidas contractor Merl Code, and sports business manager Christian Dawkins. Each stand accused of facilitating six-figure payments to basketball players and their families in exchange for promises that …

February 23, 2018 Basketball / NCAA

NCAA Affirms Sanctions Against Louisville Basketball Team

As we have previously covered, the Louisville men’s Division I basketball team has been under scrutiny since news surfaced in 2015 about its inappropriate recruitment practices involving escorts and strippers, which started back in 2011. Since then, the team has endured the firing of its head coach, self-imposed penalties, and much embarrassment. In June 2017, the NCAA issued penalties, including a five-game suspension of former coach Rick Pitino, four years’ probation for the entire team, and show-cause penalties for former coach Andre McGee, …

February 22, 2018 NCAA

Notre Dame Forced to Vacate 2012 and 2013 Wins

On February 13, 2018, the NCAA’s Division I Infractions Appeals Committee (IAC) announced that the University of Notre Dame’s football team must vacate 21 wins accumulated during the 2012 and 2013 football seasons. Back in November 2016, an NCAA panel sanctioned Notre Dame after the school self-reported that a student trainer had done coursework and given benefits to a group of football players. As a result of the ruling, wins from the 2012 and 2013 seasons were vacated, Notre Dame was put on probation, Notre …

February 21, 2018 Legislation / NCAA

Mississippi Firearms Bill Unpopular with NCAA Conference Chief

On February 7, 2018, House Bill 1083, proposing to allow the carrying of certain firearms in public, overwhelmingly passed the Mississippi House. The bill would allow those with enhanced concealed carry permits to carry in such places as university campuses, in courthouses, and at sporting events. NCAA Southeastern Conference Chief, Greg Sankey, wasted no time in expressing serious concerns about potentially negative repercussions befalling Mississippi universities, should the bill become law. Specifically, Sankey took issue with future implications on collegiate athletic events, noting that “it …

February 19, 2018 NCAA

NCAA Bribery Suit Continues Less One Defendent

The NCAA corruption and bribery case is still ongoing, though now with one less defendant. We recently reported on a motionfiled February 9, 2018, in which the defendants moved to suppress evidence arising from an allegedly flawed warrant application by the United States Attorney’s Office. Also on February 9, and in further progression of the case, a federal judge complied with a request by federal prosecutors to dismiss the charges against defendant Jonathan Brad Augustine, former director of an Adidas-sponsored travel basketball organization called …

February 16, 2018 NCAA

Judge Denies Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss in NCAA Corruption/Bribery Case

On February 15, 2018, Judge Lewis A. Kaplan denied defendants, Christian Dawkins, Jim Gatto, and Merl Code, motion to dismiss corruption and bribery charges. As we have previously reported, Adidas executive Jim Gatto, Adidas contractor Merl Code, and sports business manager Christian Dawkins were accused of facilitating six-figure payments to basketball players and their families in exchange for promises that the players would enroll in Adidas sponsored NCAA Division I schools and later would hire Dawkins.

In their motion to dismiss, Gatto, Code, and …

February 14, 2018 NCAA

Filing Mistake Could Cost Government in NCAA Corruption/Bribery Case

On February 9, 2018, defendants in the NCAA corruption and bribery case filed a motion to suppress key government evidence. The motion outlines several procedural breaches, the most important is the claim of “a failure to identify the authorizing justice official” in paperwork to obtain a warrant for a wiretap. On April 7, 2017, a court issued an order permitting the federal government to wiretap Munish Sood’s cellphone for thirty days. The goal of the wiretap was to target communications between Mr. Sood and Christian …

February 12, 2018 NCAA

Judge Delays NCAA $75 Million Settlement for the Second Time

On February 6, 2018, U.S. District Judge John Lee again delayed final approval of a $75 million settlement after he learned thousands of current and former NCAA student-athletes have still yet to be notified of the settlement. Judge Lee expressed his frustration with the notification process, and he once again delayed finial approval given that nearly 13,000 class members have not yet learned about the case and its proposed settlement. The $75 million dollar settlementwas initially approved by Judge Lee in July 2017. Seventy …

February 7, 2018 NCAA

NCAA College-Athletes Move to Secure Settlement

On January 31, 2018, a class of college-athletes, suing the NCAA over the alleged anti-competition cap benefits, asked Judge Claudia J. Wilken to issue an appeal bond. As we have previously covered, the class secured a court approved settlement of over $209 million, the second largest settlement in NCAA history. However, Darrin Duncan was the only member of the class of 53,748 that objected to the $209 million settlement. Mr. Duncan has since appealed the court approved settlement. Now, the rest of the class …