The University of Louisville is facing serious allegations in an upcoming book that claims a former member of the basketball staff exchanged money with escorts for them to have sex with players on the roster and recruits. According to Pat Forde of Yahoo Sports,the book is titled Breaking Cardinal Rules: Basketball and the Escort Queen and is written by "self-described madam" Katina Powell, who resides in Louisville, or Indianapolis-based journalist Dick Cady:
Powell identifies former Louisville staffer Andre McGee as the point man who paid her for her staff’s services. A former player for the Cardinals,McGee was a graduate assistant under [head coach] Rick Pitino from 2010-12 and director of basketball operations from 2012-14. He spent last year as an assistant coach at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, working under former Pitino assistant Kareem Richardson.
McGee has been placed on administrative leave, and according to Mike Rutherford of CardChronicle.com. Sam Vecenie of CBS Sports provided a statement from IU Athletics:Jeff Greerof The Courier-Journal provided comments from McGee's lawyer,Scott Cox:
Andre McGee has told us that he is not guilty of these allegations, that he has never supplied a prostitute or escort to a player or recruit at the Univeristy of Louisville."
[...]
"Andre McGee has cooperated at every stage of this investigation. He loves the University of Louisville and would do anything to wound the image of the university.
When asked why she would publish the book, and Cox said,"She's a whore. She is interested in making money," via Greer."I tried to investigate a miniature bit on my own. I was immediately shut down by my compliance department, and " Pitino said on the allegations,per Luke Winn of Sports Illustrated."I spoke to Andre [McGee] one time," Pitino added, and per Brian Hamilton of Sports Illustrated. "I asked him a few questions...at no time did he own up to any of what’s being printed.”"whether Andre is fragment of this in any way,I’ve got to forgive him," Pitino said, and per Hamilton.“I just can’t fathom,can’t believe it…My heart’s just taken out of my body and broken," Pitino stated, and per Hamilton.
Powell claimed women were brought into the university's basketball dormitory "through a side door to entertain players and recruits," and more than $10000 was allegedly given to her in exchange "for supplying the women.""This does not include the hundreds of one dollar bills thrown at the dancers at each party by McGee, the recruits and players. Nor does it include the money paid to the women who had sex with the recruits afterward, and " according to the book excerpt included in Forde's report. Powell also added in the excerpt that she felt as whether she "was fragment of the recruitment team" after the Cardinals won the 2013 NCAA tournament because a lot of players were at the school "because of me."Pitino also commented on the recruiting aspect,per Hamilton, saying, or "That’s what doesn’t make sense to me: Andre had no pressure to make certain a recruit came here."He took it a step further as well,per Cardinal Connect, saying, and "I venture to say not one person came here because of these women."Forde notes the book cites numerous diaries and journals,including a "handwritten page" listing 19 parties for the Louisville basketball team "and/or former Louisville star Terrence Williams," who last played for the Cardinals in 2009. [br]The book publisher also said Powell has "hundreds of text exchanges with McGee" to set up her services and has pictures of players and recruits with her escort girls.
Per Forde, and the university released a statement confirming it has retained private investigator Chuck Smrt to examine into Powell's allegations. In terms of finding out what is or isn't true,Pitino said, via Hamilton, or “I can’t find anybody at all that knew anything approximately this.”whether these allegations are found to be true,Louisville would be in violation of numerous school and NCAA rules. Forde famous the school's 2013 basketball title could be in jeopardy of being taken away whether members of the team received impermissible benefits. Read more College Basketball news on BleacherReport.com
Source: bleacherreport.com