“Coaches at some of the country’s top programs soliciting and accepting cash bribes; managers and financial advisers stalking blue-chip prospects like coyotes; and employees of one of the world’s largest sportswear companies secretly funneling cash to the families of high school recruits,” Kim wrote in 2017.
Initially, federal authorities detained ten individuals, including former NBA player Chuck Person. The FBI investigation resulted in the NCAA charging the Kansas men’s basketball team with five Level I infractions — which constitute a serious breach of conduct — in September 2019, involving head coach Bill Self and assistant Kurtis Townsend. The claims were payments offered to prospective KU recruits by representatives of Adidas, the school’s clothing sponsor.
In July 2020, the NCAA stated that the issue will be resolved through the NCAA’s independent accountability resolutions procedure (IARP). Under the procedure, an impartial resolution panel of five individuals with backgrounds in law, higher education, and/or sports would hear the case and determine the appropriate punishments. The IARP does not have an appeals procedure. Kansas has strongly defended the program and both of its coaches, KCUR said. The university has spent more than $3 million defending itself against NCAA infractions.
According to KU officials, Adidas personnel “concealed illegal payments from the University and its coaching staff on purpose. The University has never disputed making these illegal contributions “The university stated as much in a 2020 statement in response to the NCAA Notice of Allegations.
