Rick Pitino may have been the tip of the iceberg.
On Tuesday, September 26th, various individuals in and around the college basketball world were charged by the FBI with being involved in a conspiracy to commit money laundering, wire fraud, bribery, and racketeering. Each count of wire fraud, racketeering, and money laundering carries with it a maximum sentence of 20 years and a maximum of 10 years for bribery,
Put simply, the complaints, 3 in total, say that these individuals bribed players into attending certain institutions and signing with certain agents, advisors, and companies after they graduated. Assistant coaches from USC, Arizona, Oklahoma State, and Auburn were each charged with various crimes listed above. Other schools, including Louisville, have been implicated in the investigation, already costing Rick Pitino his job. And the other big name in this scandal is Adidas, as the global sports marketing director for basketball was charged as well.
Sports Illustrated has a great layman’s term breakdown of all 3 complaints filed as a result of the investigation and what allegedly happened at each institution. A list of the schools involved thus far is: Louisville, Arizona, Miami, USC, South Carolina, Oklahoma State, and Auburn.
What you might notice from that list is that it’s not exactly filled with the game’s most storied programs. Granted, Louisville is the most profitable program in NCAA basketball and Arizona is definitely a top-flight destination, but none of the schools involved so far are UNC, Duke, UCLA, Kansas, Indiana, etc. And that is why my lawyer Spidey senses have been going haywire since this announcement.
There is simply no way one of the world’s biggest sporting goods companies and a host of agents, businessmen, and investors were all involved in a massive criminal enterprise, risking their careers, livelihood, and freedom, all to get kids to play at Auburn. Yes, I am sure it was mostly about the money, but the money has to be better at places like Tobacco Road. And that is why I think there is more to this story.
Do not be surprised if these complaints are just the first to be filed. The FBI simply is not going to use its limited resources to take down the Gamecocks basketball program. This first round of complaints has to be leverage for something much bigger. The FBI does not want the guys they’ve charged, they want the Calipari’s, Krzyzewski’s, and Williams’ of the world. And they definitely want Pitino. He may have been linked, but he has yet to be charged. So the question is, does someone who has been charged provide info to the FBI that results in Pitino being legally culpable for any wrongdoing?
Now, those three other premiere coaches do not sit on the sidelines of schools sponsored by Adidas, but not all of the programs named to this point are either. And you have to imagine Adidas is not the only company with an employee who wants to make some extra cash and advance his or her career all at the same time. If the perpetrators figured out how to do this with Adidas, you don’t think they know how to involve Nike?
A couple of 20-year counts can make even the most loyal accomplice start talking. Now it’s a race of who can give the FBI the biggest fish to fry. Make your bets ladies and gentleman, who’s the next to fall?
