Bribery Scandal - FBI Probe - Book Richardson Involved

[EVCat]

I would think the signing of Quinerly by Nova (I'm going to guess they looked it over pretty hard), and the lack of holdouts in our camp, is a good sign. Like maybe Book told people that was what the money was for because it was less embarrassing than admitting he was in debt/burning through it?

[NYCat]

If they clear Quinerly, they pretty much have to clear Arizona, ie: Book kept the money.

Jahvon Quinerly, a McDonald’s All-American point guard ensnared in the pending federal basketball corruption case, will commit to play college basketball at Villanova on Wednesday, multiple sources confirmed to Yahoo Sports.

Quinerly is considered one of the country’s best point guards, as he’s the No. 26 overall player and No. 7 point guard in the Rivals.com 2018 rankings. He’s picking Villanova over Oklahoma, which was considered his other strongest suitor.

Quinerly became a household name outside of recruiting circles when he was essentially identified as “Player-5” in the charging documents of one of the three cases tied to the federal basketball investigation. Quinerly initially committed to Arizona, but de-committed this fall after federal documents revealed a payment of at least $15,000 from a financial adviser and business manager to a former Arizona assistant coach. The money was given to the coach so the financial adviser and business manager could eventually work with Quinerly when he turned professional.

Quinerly’s tie to the federal case and, potentially, the NCAA violations it reveals were thoroughly investigated by Villanova, according to sources.

Quinerly hails from northern New Jersey, and his family reached out to the Villanova basketball staff soon after the federal investigation became public in September. Sources said that Villanova did months of due diligence on the case, including hiring an outside law firm to examine the facts of the case. “Based on the information they have and the due diligence that they did, they think he’s got a very good chance to play,” said a source with first-hand knowledge of the recruitment.

Villanova is not allowed to comment on Quinerly, per NCAA rules that would apply to any recruit who hasn’t yet signed a letter of intent. (The school can only acknowledge that it is recruiting him, and can comment after he signs in the period that begins April 11.) His case will be followed closely in college basketball circles, as the players at Louisville (Brian Bowen), Auburn (Austin Wiley and Danjel Purifoy) and USC (De’Anthony Melton) with direct ties to the case have not yet played for their schools this season. (Bowen has since transferred to South Carolina.)

“There’s a chance these guys may never play,” said a high-ranking collegiate official familiar with the cases. “In some respects, the NCAA has to come to grips with what they want to be in these circumstances. Are there certain behaviors that [indicate], you should just move on?”

The federal paperwork shows evidence of multiple conversations about payments tied to Quinerly between Richardson, financial adviser Munish Sood and business manager Christian Dawkins. In July of 2017, a phone call intercepted a discussion of Dawkins and an undercover agent about providing Richardson $15,000 “as pre-payment of his $5,000 monthly ‘fee’ for each of the next three months.” Later that month, Richardson met with Sood in his New Jersey office so that Sood could give Richardson the $15,000. In the meeting, Richardson said that Quinerly’s mother asked for money because “she didn’t know what I was already doing for her son.” Richardson said later that the $15,000 is “going to help with the kids,” which meant steering kids to Sood and Dawkins.

In August, Dawkins is heard saying on wiretap in regards to Quinerly having committed to Arizona a few days earlier: “that deal got done.”

Quinerly declined comment at a USA Basketball event in October when asked if he took money. He said at that point that both he and his family had not heard from federal investigators.

Stu Brown, an independent lawyer with experience in NCAA cases, laid out in a phone interview on Tuesday the process Quinerly will likely go through to attempt to become eligible. Brown, who spoke generically as he’s not affiliated with the case, said the school will do an initial analysis of the situation and eventually make a determination of his initial eligibility. If they find he shouldn’t be eligible, he’d have to go through a student-athlete reinstatement process.

He also said a key determination in this case would be whether the behavior around Quinerly is regarded as “preferential treatment” or an “extra benefit,” which are different definitions in NCAA legalese.

“It should be, in this case, preferential treatment because he’s not enrolled,” Brown said. “The distinction then being because it’s preferential treatment, a key determination will be whether the young man was aware of or involved in any misconduct. Was it just people around the young man without his knowledge?”

Quinerly’s announcement is expected to be released on social media in an understated manner.

[NYCat]

[NYCat]

Earlier this week, the U.S. Attorney's Office in New York dropped federal charges against Jonathan Brad Augustine, a former AAU director in Orlando, Florida, who was accused of conspiring with the others to persuade two high school players to sign with Louisville and one with Miami.

"It's not surprising to me that the case has issues because it should have never been brought," said New York-based attorney Jeffrey Einhorn, who represents former USC assistant Tony Bland in a separate federal case related to the FBI probe. "Everything about this case stinks."

Regardless what happens with the criminal cases, sources with knowledge of the FBI investigation told ESPN this week that the clandestine probe could result in potential NCAA violations for as many as three dozen Division I programs, based on information included in wiretap conversations from the defendants and financial records, e-mails and cellphone records seized from NBA agent Andy Miller. His office was raided on the same day the FBI arrested 10 men, including four assistant coaches, in late September.

"It's not the mid-major programs who were trying to buy players to get to the top," a source told ESPN. "It's the teams that are already there."

Miller, the president and founder of ASM Sports in New Jersey, relinquished his NBA agent certification in December. He represented NBA stars such as Kevin Garnett, Kristaps Porzingis, Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka.

The sources told ESPN that many of the alleged incidents involve illegal cash payments to prospects and their families, as well as players and their families receiving tens of thousands of dollars from agents while they were still playing in college. In some cases, according to the sources, NCAA head coaches were aware of the payments, while others didn't have knowledge of the schemes.

"At some point, the NCAA is going to see this stuff," the source said. "What are they going to do? They can't sit on their hands. If one kid is getting punished at USC for taking money, then the kid taking money at another school has to be punished, too."

Code, Dawkins and Gatto are accused of scheming to send $100,000 to the family of five-star prospect Brian Bowen to ensure that he would sign with Louisville last summer. The FBI alleges Bowen's father accepted the money; Bowen says he was unaware of the scheme.

The FBI investigation led to the firings of longtime Cardinals coach Rick Pitino and athletics director Tom Jurich.

Sources close to the investigation told ESPN that Augustine's charges were dismissed because evidence showed that he never gave the money he received from the defendants to a high school player they wanted to sign with Miami. Instead, Augustine kept the money for himself.

[Spaceman Spiff]

The "I lied about the $ and kept it for myself" was always the fastest way out of this, and it would be something that would also fit Book's MO to a decent extent. We'll see.

I'm more interested in whether the rumblings of more schools ever actually becomes something.

[NYCat]

All depends on if the NCAA can use everything the FBI has and if the FBI even turns over it's information to the NCAA. The FBI case seems like it's going to die, but the NCAA seems like it won't die as easy. Then again if schools sue the NCAA to do the right thing they might drop the investigations, the UNC tactic. Some wiretaps & other evidence we're are considered to be obtained illegally because of technicalities which prevents being used in court, but the NCAA, probably not.

[DrWildcat]

I'm really interested to see the names of these 3 dozen schools, especially if they're the top schools. Always seems like the NCAA picks and chooses depending on the school how severe the punishment is. If it is really all the top schools will they do anything about it?

[CalStateTempe]

I have always said, the more schools the better for Arizona.

I too am interested to see the list.

[NYCat]

[btfd16]

I have always said, the more schools the better for Arizona.

I too am interested to see the list.

Exactly. If it is the Kentucky's, Kansas', Duke's, UNC's also, then the NCAA will have no choice but to change the entire thing. Not just punish individual schools.

[Spaceman Spiff]

I have always said, the more schools the better for Arizona.

I too am interested to see the list.

Exactly. If it is the Kentucky's, Kansas', Duke's, UNC's also, then the NCAA will have no choice but to change the entire thing. Not just punish individual schools.

My wish list:

ASU
Duke
Kansas
UCLA
UNC
Miami again

I also hope this spurs systemic change, but I doubt that happens.

[CatHoops]

I don't get how you change what's going on. U have agents offering family members money to try and secure a future client when they go pro. It's two parties not associated with a specific university or the ncaa. They could care less what school the kid chooses they just want a new client in less than a year. As long as a school isn't directly paying a kid to play then the ncaa should stay out of it

[IndianaZonaFan]

I don't get how you change what's going on. U have agents offering family members money to try and secure a future client when they go pro. It's two parties not associated with a specific university or the ncaa. They could care less what school the kid chooses they just want a new client in less than a year. As long as a school isn't directly paying a kid to play then the ncaa should stay out of it

The issue with the schools is that it is being looked at as if the coaches are pushing these kids to sign with certain agencies when they graduate or decide to go pro after a year or two or three in college. That's the major issue. The money is being given from the agency (who is getting said money from shoe companies) and paying the coaches to funnel players to their agency when that time comes. The coaches may be pocketing the cash, or could be using it to pay players (or their family or close family friends) in order to secure them into coming to their school.

BUT if the average student at the school is benefiting as much as the athletes from this issue, then it gets looked at as not the NCAA's problem (UNC). So Book should have paid JQ as well as some other random students to show that he JQ wasn't the only one benefiting from this.

[CatHoops]

The shoe Companies are the reason AAU even exists and they wanna keep the talent in nike/adidas/under armour as long as possible. They still don't care what school a kid plays at as long as it's sponsored by the same shoe company. The agents also benefit from securing clients. So you have agents and apparel companies offering deals to benefit if a kid turns pro. Like I said it's a problem u will never stop

[CatHoops]

And I don't even see the problem with a talented kid making money who cares nobody's business but the family and whose paying it

[NYCat]

2019???

[84Cat]

Well that sucks! We may be looking at multiple years of shitty recruiting

[Beachcat97]

Well that sucks! We may be looking at multiple years of shitty recruiting

Why? Book is no longer a UofA employee, and there's been no implication of Miller whatsoever.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Well that sucks! We may be looking at multiple years of shitty recruiting

FBI is not the NCAA. Sometimes that's good, sometimes it's bad.

[84Cat]

I don't think uncertainty is good for recruiting. We need to put this shit behind us and move on

[Spaceman Spiff]

I don't think uncertainty is good for recruiting. We need to put this shit behind us and move on

I'd think certainty from the NCAA can come prior to the conclusion of court proceedings.

I doubt we're really invested in defending Book in front of the NCAA. More likely, blaming as much of this on him as possible as a rogue actor.

[NYCat]

I don't think uncertainty is good for recruiting. We need to put this shit behind us and move on

I'd think certainty from the NCAA can come prior to the conclusion of court proceedings.

I doubt we're really invested in defending Book in front of the NCAA. More likely, blaming as much of this on him as possible as a rogue actor.

That isn't going to happen until after the FBI cases are closed, that will go beyond the court dates/trial. The NCAA is blind to this just like everyone but the FBI/Grand juries, judges, etc

[PHXCATS]

I don't think uncertainty is good for recruiting. We need to put this shit behind us and move on

Miller made his bed. Hope he can recover soon

[EVCat]

I don't think uncertainty is good for recruiting. We need to put this shit behind us and move on

Miller made his bed. Hope he can recover soon

Seriously...at what point does this guy get Beachcat'd?

This is straight troll.

[scumdevils86]

I don't think uncertainty is good for recruiting. We need to put this shit behind us and move on

Miller made his bed. Hope he can recover soon

Seriously...at what point does this guy get Beachcat'd?

This is straight troll.

this board would be much better if the troll known as machina was banned.

[PHXCATS]

I don't think uncertainty is good for recruiting. We need to put this shit behind us and move on

Miller made his bed. Hope he can recover soon

Seriously...at what point does this guy get Beachcat'd?

This is straight troll.

It is not, it is holding Miller accountable for his actions and decisions. He deserves tons of credit for his recruiting and for his elite 8s but he deserves blame for making poor decisions that lead to this. Even if he didnt do anything wrong it is still on him 100% as he let Books stay when red flags arose.

[NYCat]

I don't think uncertainty is good for recruiting. We need to put this shit behind us and move on

Miller made his bed. Hope he can recover soon

Seriously...at what point does this guy get Beachcat'd?

This is straight troll.

Beachcat was an idiot and said UCLA would beat Arizona at UCLA last year, if not he would leave forever. He was banned to fulfill his own promise. Unfortunately Phoechina has not made no such statements.

[EVCat]

I don't think uncertainty is good for recruiting. We need to put this shit behind us and move on

Miller made his bed. Hope he can recover soon

Seriously...at what point does this guy get Beachcat'd?

This is straight troll.

Beachcat was an idiot and said UCLA would beat Arizona at UCLA last year, if not he would leave forever. He was banned to fulfill his own promise. Unfortunately Phoechina has not made no such statements.

I know. But at his worst, Beachcat was half the troll of this guy. Boards have a right to police to keep the discussion from being about some attention seeker/troll.

This is trolling...especially when the troll has made clear that his feelings being hurt in a social/alumni setting by the coach is the genesis of his attack.

[NYCat]

Honestly sounds like this thing will stretch into 2020 before the NCAA is able to do anything, it's not good.

[Chicat]

I don't think uncertainty is good for recruiting. We need to put this shit behind us and move on

Didn’t hurt UNC....

[NYCat]

[NYCat]

Yikes

Multiple sources who’ve been briefed on the case and are familiar with the material obtained by feds told Yahoo Sports that the impact on the sport will be substantial and relentless. Sitting under protective order right now are the fruits of 330 days of monitoring activity by the feds, which one assistant US Attorney noted Thursday was “a voluminous amount of material.” That includes wiretaps from 4,000 intercepted calls and thousands of documents and bank records obtained from raids and confiscated computers, including those from notorious NBA agent Andy Miller.

“This goes a lot deeper in college basketball than four corrupt assistant coaches,” said a source who has been briefed on the details of the case. “When this all comes out, Hall of Fame coaches should be scared, lottery picks won’t be eligible to play and almost half of the 16 teams the NCAA showed on its initial NCAA tournament show this weekend should worry about their appearance being vacated.”

[NYCat]

Double yikes

There’s a general expectation that this information will be released. It could come in trial, pre-trial motions or released by the government at some point. (No one is certain if they’ve agreed to eventually give it to the NCAA if it doesn’t go public.)

So how bad could be it? In terms of NCAA rules, multiple sources told Yahoo Sports that the material obtained threatens the fundamental structure and integrity of the sport, as there’s potentially as many 50 college basketball programs that could end up compromised in some way.

Among the documents expected to be in the federal government’s protection are the bank records of Miller, who bankrolled middle man, Christian Dawkins, who is at the center of two of the cases.

“If the NCAA is going to get Andy Miller’s bank records, God bless them, I don’t know what they’re going to do,” said another source with direct knowledge of the situation, chuckling at the thought. “You are better off changing the rules. The crazy part of this business is none of the kids are free.”

NCAA officials are staring at the prospect of a tournament with a winner that will likely be vacating its title – and many others eventually vacating their appearances. There’s a lingering mushroom cloud over the sport’s upcoming showcase event that won’t go away. The most fascinating and tricky variable here is time.

[Spaceman Spiff]

This quote is it:

“You are better off changing the rules. The crazy part of this business is none of the kids are free.”

The NCAA doesn't have an interest in pushing this further. For Arizona, that's the strongest positive coming down the pike.

I disagree that this will drag. This is as much a black cloud over the NCAA. They run their own ship and don't need that cloud around for years more hanging over 3-4 tourneys.

[NYCat]

I think this ultimately what happens

[prh]

I like the movement gaining steam in this thread. I'll just say, it will mean more worthwhile posts fit into one page

[TatetheGreat]

Thanks for the articles, NYCat. I still have no idea what becomes of this but I appreciate the updates.

[Olsondogg]

Lol. Lol. Lol. Lol.

[YoDeFoe]

I think this ultimately what happens

I'll just note that Charles P. Pierce is one of my favorite writers on the planet. Sharp wit, but serious.

[Chicat]

The info dump makes me think the Govt. is itching for a plea deal.

[TJATUA]

Double yikes

There’s a general expectation that this information will be released. It could come in trial, pre-trial motions or released by the government at some point. (No one is certain if they’ve agreed to eventually give it to the NCAA if it doesn’t go public.)

So how bad could be it? In terms of NCAA rules, multiple sources told Yahoo Sports that the material obtained threatens the fundamental structure and integrity of the sport, as there’s potentially as many 50 college basketball programs that could end up compromised in some way.

Among the documents expected to be in the federal government’s protection are the bank records of Miller, who bankrolled middle man, Christian Dawkins, who is at the center of two of the cases.

“If the NCAA is going to get Andy Miller’s bank records, God bless them, I don’t know what they’re going to do,” said another source with direct knowledge of the situation, chuckling at the thought. “You are better off changing the rules. The crazy part of this business is none of the kids are free.”

NCAA officials are staring at the prospect of a tournament with a winner that will likely be vacating its title – and many others eventually vacating their appearances. There’s a lingering mushroom cloud over the sport’s upcoming showcase event that won’t go away. The most fascinating and tricky variable here is time.

"You're better off changing the rules" is some serious hyperbole.

[CatHoops]

Even if they get Andy Miller's records they'll still have to prove the kids knew about it and it wasn't the parents getting it. Not to mention he's been an agent along time so no telling how far back it goes. I think ncaa makes some rule changes before next year and most of this is handled with minor penalties over the next few years. NCAA will say all the right things but will be kinda swept away

[ChooChooCat]

Even if they get Andy Miller's records they'll still have to prove the kids knew about it and it wasn't the parents getting it. Not to mention he's been an agent along time so no telling how far back it goes. I think ncaa makes some rule changes before next year and most of this is handled with minor penalties over the next few years. NCAA will say all the right things but will be kinda swept away

https://sports.yahoo.com/sources-spread ... 18078.html" target="_blank

[Spaceman Spiff]

Even if they get Andy Miller's records they'll still have to prove the kids knew about it and it wasn't the parents getting it. Not to mention he's been an agent along time so no telling how far back it goes. I think ncaa makes some rule changes before next year and most of this is handled with minor penalties over the next few years. NCAA will say all the right things but will be kinda swept away

https://sports.yahoo.com/sources-spread ... 18078.html" target="_blank

I've always felt ok if it focused on ASM. Arizona had no ex-players in their client list, so if they were dropping money on our guys, you'd assume it was (at the least) significantly less than othe schools.

[ChooChooCat]

Even if they get Andy Miller's records they'll still have to prove the kids knew about it and it wasn't the parents getting it. Not to mention he's been an agent along time so no telling how far back it goes. I think ncaa makes some rule changes before next year and most of this is handled with minor penalties over the next few years. NCAA will say all the right things but will be kinda swept away

https://sports.yahoo.com/sources-spread ... 18078.html" target="_blank

I've always felt ok if it focused on ASM. Arizona had no ex-players in their client list, so if they were dropping money on our guys, you'd assume it was (at the least) significantly less than othe schools.

Per that article it says ASM was paying guys that didn't end up signing with them as well.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Even if they get Andy Miller's records they'll still have to prove the kids knew about it and it wasn't the parents getting it. Not to mention he's been an agent along time so no telling how far back it goes. I think ncaa makes some rule changes before next year and most of this is handled with minor penalties over the next few years. NCAA will say all the right things but will be kinda swept away

https://sports.yahoo.com/sources-spread ... 18078.html" target="_blank

I've always felt ok if it focused on ASM. Arizona had no ex-players in their client list, so if they were dropping money on our guys, you'd assume it was (at the least) significantly less than othe schools.

Per that article it says ASM was paying guys that didn't end up signing with them as well.

I'm not saying we're clear. Just that given the situation, I feel decent relatively. Relatively is the key word. All the other major schools in the FBI probe have alums on their client list.

[NYCat]

Even if they get Andy Miller's records they'll still have to prove the kids knew about it and it wasn't the parents getting it. Not to mention he's been an agent along time so no telling how far back it goes. I think ncaa makes some rule changes before next year and most of this is handled with minor penalties over the next few years. NCAA will say all the right things but will be kinda swept away

https://sports.yahoo.com/sources-spread ... 18078.html" target="_blank

I've always felt ok if it focused on ASM. Arizona had no ex-players in their client list, so if they were dropping money on our guys, you'd assume it was (at the least) significantly less than othe schools.

Lists Zeus as a client here

https://basketball.realgm.com/info/agen ... -Miller/14" target="_blank

Also here, idk if he's still a client

[NYCat]

Even if he's not a Miller client currently, he signed with ASM & Miller immediately after college and that's makes me nervous tbh. Could've been a relationship/payment/etc beforehand. Hopefully Zeus is not in a stupid spreadsheet.

[CalStateTempe]

Oh man we are so gonna get boned.

[CalStateTempe]

Burn it all down man.

If we’re going down I want all the other top tier programs going down too.