"FBI Snares Kansas, NC State in Corruption Probe"

[Tom]

For you hoops fans.  I not a basketball follower.  Looks like someone got caught with "hands in the cookie jar".   

Full story...https://www.athleticbusiness.com/law-policy/fbi-snares-kansas-nc-state-in-corruption-probe.html?eid=96660005&bid=2064415

Kansas and North Carolina State were named in new federal charges that come as part the FBI's ongoing investigation into corruption in Division-I NCAA men’s basketball.

According to a report from SI.com, the FBI alleges that Adidas global marketing director for basketball, Jim Gatto, surreptitiously made two $40,000 payments to the father of a NC State player. The payments were made to assure that the player would attend NC State and would then sign a sponsorship with Adidas when he did decide to go to the NBA.

The new charges also detail how Gatto allegedly conspired to pay $90,000 in Nov. 2016 to a player’s mother to get the player to attend Kansas and to then sign with Adidas if he left for the NBA. In another instance, the FBI alleges that in Aug. 2017 Gatto made a $20,000 payment to the parent of a player who was considering a university sponsored by another athletic apparel company.

The FBI has sought to track the payments Gatto made, which in all cases were made to coaches at the school or other “co-conspirators” who then paid the players’ parents.

[Lannis]

NCAA, IOC, NFL, NBA ... all huge money, all corrupt in proportion, I quit seeing the point years ago .....

Lannis

[Tom]

I don't see the relevance of denying the money that flows to the athletes. 

[Lannis]

I don't see the relevance of denying the money that flows to the athletes.

I suspect that the majority of the money does NOT "flow to the athletes" ... it goes to the palm-greasers, the grifters, the money-launderers, the bookies in Vegas and everywhere else.

I suppose there's nothing wrong with that, including athletes that are supposed to be "amateurs" in college and the Olympics making a lot of money to shade games in whichever direction ... but believing that the games are real "competition" takes about the same amount of "Kayfabe" as it does to enjoy WWF Wrestling and believe that that's real competition ....

Looked at in that way, nobody's being robbed or hijacked, nobody's being forced to pay for anything, and lots of people cheer.   So in the end, there's no "financial" harm done.   

Rah Rah Rah!  Sis Boom Bah!   Two Four Six Eight, Who Do We Appreciate!

Lannis

[Tom]

You're right on the money not going to the student.  According to the article it went to the parents so that they could influence the kids.  It'll be interesting how the defense for the parents would be.  The kids are in the grey adult area of 18-21.