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Feds turn more attention to Okla. State

 
Published Oct. 13, 2017

OKLAHOMA CITY — Federal prosecutors seeking more information about the involvement of Oklahoma State basketball in a wider corruption scandal have asked the school to detail its communications with three key players in the investigation, as well as players and their parents.

A grand jury subpoena provided to the Associated Press on Thursday asks OSU to produce all communications between any member of the school's coaching or athletic staff and former sports agent Christian Dawkins, financial adviser Martin Blazer and investment adviser Munish Sood.

Dawkins and Sood are accused of funneling money to coaches and parents to convince players to align with them if they turned pro. Blazer had participated in similar activities and began cooperating with authorities in 2014. He pleaded guilty last month to fraud and other crimes. According to the complaints, Blazer worked with federal officials to set up meetings with numerous coaches and others in basketball to get evidence of bribery.

The subpoena, filed by federal prosecutors in New York, requests the personnel file of fired assistant Lamont Evans, plus NCAA certification forms for all players on the current team. It also asks for all documents regarding actual or potential NCAA rules violations and records of all communications between the athletic department and current players and parents of current players.

Evans is accused of accepting $2,000 a month in bribes to funnel athletes to certain agents.

In related news, a federal judge refused to impose bail for an Adidas representative embroiled in the bribery scandal.

Prosecutors in Manhattan urged Judge Katherine Parker to make James Gatto post $100,000 bond to keep his freedom. But she continued the no-bail conditions set for Gatto after his arrest last month.

Michael Schachter, an attorney for Gatto, argued that prosecutors' portrayal of his client as a "high-level executive" at Adidas was misleading because it suggested he's wealthy. "Nothing can be further from the truth," Schachter said, adding his client is a married father of two who makes $139,000 a year as a marketing director.

Evans, the Oklahoma State assistant who was fired after being charged, was freed on $100,000 bond Thursday after appearing in the same courtroom. Both men and eight others were charged last month in an alleged scheme to bribe assistant coaches in exchange for steering top-flight NBA prospects to a particular agent or financial adviser.

Seminole lost for season

TALLAHASSEE — Florida State's Landon Dickerson has had his season cut short for the second straight year. Coach Jimbo Fisher said the left guard will have surgery on his right ankle today. He was injured during Saturday's loss to No. 11 Miami. Dickerson, who had started the first four games, started seven last season before injuring his knee. Dickerson isn't the only starter the Seminoles will be without Saturday at Duke. Receiver Keith Gavin (leg), safety Trey Marshall (concussion) and linebacker Jacob Pugh (concussion) also are sidelined.