At least three of the defendants in the FBI’s probe into bribery and corruption in college basketball are discussing taking a deal with prosecutors, according to the LA Times.
The paper obtained documents filed with the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York that stated that a two-week continuance has been granted for Christian Dawkins, Munish Sood and Jonathan Brad Augustine as they “have been engaged in, and are continuing, discussions concerning a possible disposition of these cases.”
Dawkins’ lawyer, Steve Haney, told NBC Sports that the continuance had nothing to with his client negotiating a plea deal.
“Though the continuance was anticipated, the suggestion it is based on my client’s cooperation with the Federal Government is patently false,” Haney told NBC Sports. “Christian Dawkins is not talking. He has no reason to talk and will aggressively fight the allegations.”
Dawkins was a runner - a recruiter for an agent, essentially - that had been associated with Andy Miller’s agency. Sood was the financial advisor that Dawkins had allegedly partnered with to fund an operation that - again, allegedly - bribed college basketball coaches in an effort to get them to funnel the players under their control to that financial advisor. Augustine is an AAU coach in Florida who attempted to help facilitate payments to two recruits that have yet to reach college.
Since the FBI dropped the bombshell last month that four assistant coaches were among the ten people that had been arrested, the case has gone somewhat quiet. But if the people that have been caught-up start talking to authorities, the tentacles and reach of this case will continue to grow.