Report: Pitt, Penn State Football Named In College Basketball Corruption Trial
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- An FBI witness in an ongoing college basketball corruption trial says he paid college football players for nearly 14 years -- including athletes from Pitt and Penn State.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Louis "Marty" Blazer, a Pittsburgh-based financial advisor, was testifying for the government Tuesday when he spoke about his payments to college football players.
Given the federal trial is largely focused on college basketball corruption, Blazer's testimony was unexpected for many.
According to the Post-Gazette, Blazer said he had made the payments in hopes that he would become the players' financial advisor once they left school. He did not offer specific names for the student-athletes he allegedly paid, but he said they included football players from the University of Pittsburgh and Penn State University.
Blazer became an informant in the federal investigation into college basketball corruption after he was charged with securities fraud and other crimes, as CBS sports writer Matt Norlander explained on Twitter.
Notably, Blazer testified on Tuesday that from 2000 until 2013/2014 he paid college football players in an effort to be their financial advisor upon leaving school and playing in the NFL.
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) April 23, 2019
"Penn State has just been made aware of this concerning allegation," Penn State said in a statement Tuesday, according to the Post-Gazette. "The university will thoroughly examine this matter. Until we know more, we can't comment further."
The University of Pittsburgh declined to comment Tuesday.