Report: FBI raided sports agency tied to corruption scandal
The FBI on Tuesday raided a sports agency tied to the corruption scandal that resulted in the arrest of 10 people.
Four NCAA coaches were arrested on Tuesday as part of a scandal that alleges they accepted payments from agencies, apparel companies, or financial advisers in order to encourage basketball players to sign with the companies. One of the defendants in the case is Christian Dawkins, who used to work for ASM Sports, a prominent agency representing multiple basketball players.
According to Forbes’ Darren Heitner, ASM Sports was raided by the FBI, which took the computer of agency head Andy Miller.
Sources: Basketball agency ASM Sports was raided today. FBI had warrant, took Andy Miller's computer.
— Darren Heitner (@DarrenHeitner) September 26, 2017
Miller’s NBA clientele includes Jeff Teague, Kristaps Porzingis, Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka, as well as former players Chauncey Billups and Tyronn Lue.
The federal case alleges that there is a system in which a company like Adidas sends bribe money to steer a top basketball prospect to a college that has a clothing deal with Adidas, so that the player represents the brand in college, with the hope of the player also signing with Adidas as a pro. Agents and financial advisers also allegedly bribed college assistant coaches to steer top players towards their agencies or financial companies — a sort of kickback for delivering them clients.
Dawkins was fired by ASM Sports after racking up $42,000 in charges on a player’s credit card during a period between 2015-2016.