NCAA Investigating Booster's Claims Against UM
MIAMI (CBSMiami.com) – The University of Miami's athletic department welcomed in some visitors that rarely come with good news for a school. NCAA investigators came to campus Monday to question people who may have known about potential violations including impermissible benefits.
The NCAA is investigating claims made by former UM booster Nevin Shaprio. The former booster pled guilty to running a nearly $1 billion Ponzi scheme in June, but last year said he was going to write a book about his involvement with former UM players.
His attorney, Maria Elena Perez, said Shapiro he told the NCAA he provided players with the use of a yacht and other favors. Perez said she and Shapiro had been talking with the NCAA for a couple of months.
Shaprio's involvement with the school dates back to 2001 and the days of Larry Coker and carried through to Randy Shannon's teams. Among the players mentioned in connection with Shapiro are Tavares Gooden, Devin Hester, Jon Beason, and Randy Phillips, according to InsidetheU.com.
The question will come down to whether any of the players associated with Shapiro played with the school in the last four years. The NCAA has a statute of limitations of four years, so unless a player implicated with Shapiro played with the school since 2007, the school could be off the hook.
One issue the NCAA will have to determine is how credible Shapiro is. Being a convicted Ponzi schemer puts him in a negative light.
Still, Shapiro had donated roughly $150,000 to the football program since 2001; and when the NCAA is investigating, it casts a shadow over a school until the investigation is finished
On the UM campus, current and former students told CBS4's Peter D'Oench that they were concerned about this investigation.
"I hope they come out with the truth," said UM Junior Amanda Corey.
"I guess I would hope it would be thorough," said UM Law School student Tom White about the investigation. But White echoed the skepticism that other students had since the allegations come from a convicted Ponzi schemer.
"We'll see," said Jen Mejia, who graduated from the UM in 2001. "Maybe he (Shapiro) is trying to divert attention from himself."
"I think everyone's innocent until proven guilty," said her husband, Doug, also a 2001 graduate. "But this investigation must go on."
"I went to Auburn as an undergraduate," said White. "They came in and investigated us. I am always skeptical about an investigation."
Even prospective students were skeptical.
Jordan Delso, a high school senior from New Jersey who was visiting the University of Miami because he was hoping to apply for admission to the school, told CBS4, "The jewelry, the clothes. I can't believe this. If these players are smart enough to get in to this school and go through the football program, then they know better than to take these gifts."
Attorney Maria Elena Perez told D'Oench that she was planning to speak on camera about the investigation on Tuesday.
"This NCAA investigation is an ongoing one," she told CBS4.
UM spokeswoman Margot Winick said in an official statement that, "We're waiting to learn more from the NCAA investigator on site" before releasing a statement.
