Chris White and Jeff Greer discuss former Louisville coach Rick Pitino's future coaching prospects in light of the FBI investigation. Jeff Faughender/Courier Journal
Lawyers for the University of Louisville Athletic Association asked Rick Pitino to admit that he allowed Christian Dawkins to attend a practice nine days before Dawkins was charged in the FBI's investigation into college basketball recruiting.
The demand was among 53 "requests for admission" from the former University of Louisville men's basketball coach that were filed Monday by the ULAA lawyers in federal court. They are part of the breach-of-contract lawsuit that was filed by Pitino after his termination last year.
Pitino's lawyer, Steve Pence, told Courier Journal on Tuesday that Pitino has never admitted to authorizing Dawkins to be on campus in September and that he intends to file a document stating that later this week.
This is the second accusation from the University of Louisville that Dawkins, a former AAU program director, was on campus prior to him being arrested in September.
In Pitino's termination letter, former University of Louisville interim President Greg Postel wrote that Pitino did not notify the school that Dawkins visited the school's campus in late May. The letter detailed the portions of Pitino's contract the coach is alleged to have violated that served as the justification for the university to fire him for cause.
"As someone known to have acted as an 'agent' for athletes, the basketball staff should have notified Athletics Compliance," the letter states regarding Dawkins' visit. "No notification was provided."
Pence has said Pitino did not know Dawkins was working as an agent.
Federal investigators said Dawkins and others, including Adidas executive James Gatto, former Adidas consultant Merl Code, financial advisor Munish Sood and former AAU program director Jonathan Brad Augustine, worked together in attempts to funnel money to the families of two Louisville recruits to ensure the athletes would sign with the school and later as pros hire certain advisers and sign endorsement deals with Adidas.
In one instance, the FBI alleged a plan was hatched to pay $100,000 to the father of Louisville recruit Brian Bowen. One payment of roughly $19,500 was allegedly made.
In another instance, the FBI alleged a similar scheme was created to pay $150,000 to the family of an unnamed Louisville recruit who was a member of Augustine's Florida-based program. Augustine allegedly accepted an envelope containing $12,700 in cash during a July meeting in Las Vegas recorded by the FBI but charges against him have since been dropped, reportedly because he kept money intended as bribes.
Justin Sayers: 502-582-4252; jsayers@courierjournal.com; Twitter: @_JustinSayers. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: www.courier-journal.com/justins.