Clifford Chance
Game Changer: FBI Investigation Into College Basketball Programs Highlights New Risks
29 September 2017
This week, the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York announced the arrest of ten people tied to college basketball, including assistant coaches at four universities. Those arrested are accused of soliciting and providing bribes to steer basketball players to specific university programs, agents, and businesses. Two additional unnamed universities are also discussed in the complaints, with the Acting U.S. Attorney noting that more interviews are taking places and more arrests may be forthcoming. The University of Louisville also announced that it has placed head coach Rick Pitino and Athletic Director Tom Jurich on administrative leave as a result of their alleged involvement in the broader set of allegations. Every major college sport program involved in national recruiting is subject to the risk of similar misconduct, and institutions should take prompt steps to assess their individual risks and to ensure that they are properly mitigated.
