The FBI has reportedly arrested several assistant basketball coaches in the NCAA in connection with a fraud and corruption investigation, according to NBC News.
A senior law enforcement official told NBC the arrests were made across the country on Monday night and there would be a press conference regarding the investigation at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York on Tuesday.
BREAKING: The FBI has arrested several NCAA assistant basketball coaches in a fraud and corruption probe, source tells @Tom_Winter
— NBC News (@NBCNews) September 26, 2017
MORE: NCAA-related arrests were made across the country last night, a senior law enforcement official tells @NBCInvestigates
— NBC News (@NBCNews) September 26, 2017
ESPN’s Darren Rovell added that 10 people are being charged as a result of the probe, four of them being college basketball coaches. Of the coaches involved are Auburn University’s Chuck Person, Oklahoma State’s Lamont Evans, and Arizona’s Emmanuel Richardson, Bloomberg reports.
BREAKING: Government charging 10 people (4 college coaches & reps of “major international sportswear company”) with fraud & corruption.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) September 26, 2017
Feds: adidas head of sports marketing Jim Gatto, with others, paid high school players to go to adidas schools, then sign with adidas later.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) September 26, 2017
The Department of Justice released a statement regarding the press conference on Tuesday morning.
Oh boy pic.twitter.com/7n14TY7WZA
— CJ Ciaramella (@cjciaramella) September 26, 2017
“There will be a press conference today at noon to announce charges of fraud and corruption in college basketball. Federal criminal charges have been brought against ten people, including four college basketball coaches, as well as managers, financial advisors, and representatives of major international sportswear company,” the DOJ statement read.
It appears that the corruption goes back as far as recruiting players from high school, although the coaches’ involvement isn’t known. Jim Gatto, head of sports marketing for Adidas, is accused of paying high school students to attend Adidas schools and then signing with Adidas later.
More details to come…