GwillMac6 20,607 Posted March 15, 2019 Share Posted March 15, 2019 Mark SchlabachESPN Senior Writer Former Auburn basketball assistant Chuck Person has agreed to plead guilty to accepting bribes from an FBI cooperating witness to influence Tigers players to sign with certain financial advisers and business managers once they turned pro. In a letter Friday to U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Boone and Aline Flodr wrote, "It is the government's understanding that the defendant Chuck Connors Person wishes to enter a change of plea in the above-captioned case." The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday in New York. Person had previously pleaded not guilty to six felony charges related to bribery, solicitation of bribes, wire fraud and travel act conspiracy. According to sources, Person is expected to plead guilty to one conspiracy charge and will receive a sentence similar to the ones offered to former assistant coaches -- with a recommended sentence of about 24 to 30 months in prison -- in a separate criminal case involving college basketball corruption. Person's co-defendant, former NBA referee and Atlanta bespoke clothier Rashan Michel, is still scheduled to go to trial in New York in June. A former Auburn and NBA player and an assistant coach at his alma mater from 2014 to 2017, Person is accused of soliciting and accepting at least $91,500 from Louis Martin Blazer III, a former financial adviser, who was working as a cooperating witness for the FBI in its investigation into college basketball corruption. Person is also accused of helping facilitate money to players' families. The government alleges he provided $11,000 to one player's family and $7,500 to another's. Michel is accused of brokering the relationship between Blazer and Person, as well as receiving tens of thousands of dollars from Blazer to introduce him to Person and other college coaches. Auburn players Austin Wiley and Danjel Purifoy were ruled ineligible for the 2017-18 season after the university self-reported violations involving recruiting, extra benefits and agents. Purifoy was also suspended for 30 percent of the 2018-19 season and didn't play in the Tigers' first nine games this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aujeff11 6,243 Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 11 hours ago, GwillMac6 said: Person is accused of soliciting and accepting at least $91,500 from Louis Martin Blazer III, a former financial adviser, who was working as a cooperating witness for the FBI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AU64 10,122 Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 Jail time?...did not expect that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigeraddikt 1,590 Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 I still fail to see how getting paid to influence someone is defined as bribery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AU64 10,122 Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 17 minutes ago, tigeraddikt said: I still fail to see how getting paid to influence someone is defined as bribery. It is generally accepted that ignorance of the law is no excuse...….. and I expect CP's attorneys have tried your explanation already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFTiger 282 Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 Quote Auburn players Austin Wiley and Danjel Purifoy were ruled ineligible for the 2017-18 season after the university self-reported violations involving recruiting, extra benefits and agents. Purifoy was also suspended for 30 percent of the 2018-19 season and didn't play in the Tigers' first nine games this season. I forget, what was Colin Sexton's suspension? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShocksMyBrain 9,362 Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 8 minutes ago, AFTiger said: I forget, what was Colin Sexton's suspension? 1 whole game. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.sbnation.com/platform/amp/2017/11/6/16616166/collin-sexton-suspension-fbi-ncaa-alabama Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUGoo 2,659 Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 16 minutes ago, AFTiger said: I forget, what was Colin Sexton's suspension? Oh, there was nothing to see there. They looked into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCG 2 Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 The real questions: Who at Auburn would have know this was going on? Who at Auburn should have know this was going on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALLINtheFamily 77 Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 1 hour ago, MCG said: The real questions: Who at Auburn would have know this was going on? Who at Auburn should have know this was going on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AU64 10,122 Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 7 hours ago, AFTiger said: I forget, what was Colin Sexton's suspension? I think he got a meal or something …..cause of his suspension....not quite the same thing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigeraddikt 1,590 Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 9 hours ago, AU64 said: It is generally accepted that ignorance of the law is no excuse...….. and I expect CP's attorneys have tried your explanation already. Oh wait I think I was confusing bribery with blackmail lol. Nvm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey 16,550 Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 22 hours ago, MCG said: The real questions: Who at Auburn would have know this was going on? Who at Auburn should have know this was going on? Nobody and nobody. It had nothing to do with the program or university. It was a deal between Chuck Person and the two players to wear a certain brand of shoes should they reach the NBA. Understanding what happened would help to keep you from asking stupid questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCG 2 Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 5 hours ago, Mikey said: Nobody and nobody. It had nothing to do with the program or university. It was a deal between Chuck Person and the two players to wear a certain brand of shoes should they reach the NBA. Understanding what happened would help to keep you from asking stupid questions. Thanks for your answer . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beaker 2,457 Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 Wow..still can't believe Chuck needed money so bad to do this. I think I read somewhere he had made like $21 mio during his time in the NBA (total). Even if it was half that....Come on, man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auburn Kev 1,653 Posted July 2, 2019 Share Posted July 2, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AU64 10,122 Posted July 2, 2019 Share Posted July 2, 2019 On 3/18/2019 at 7:58 PM, Beaker said: Wow..still can't believe Chuck needed money so bad to do this. I think I read somewhere he had made like $21 mio during his time in the NBA (total). Even if it was half that....Come on, man. Does not speak well for the education he got at Auburn.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Loblaw 636 Posted July 2, 2019 Share Posted July 2, 2019 Kind of crazy to think that someone with a long nba career and an nba coaching career needed money but I guess it is what it is. Some dudes trust the wrong dudes and get swindled into bad investments. It doesn't sound like he was some big spender living some lavish life style. Guessing he trusted the wrong "friends" and lost a lot of cash on terrible investments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SumterAubie 3,031 Posted July 3, 2019 Share Posted July 3, 2019 On 3/18/2019 at 7:58 PM, Beaker said: Wow..still can't believe Chuck needed money so bad to do this. I think I read somewhere he had made like $21 mio during his time in the NBA (total). Even if it was half that....Come on, man. Isn't he married? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steeleagle 2,945 Posted July 3, 2019 Share Posted July 3, 2019 14 hours ago, SumterAubie said: Isn't he married? He was married. But according to the court records, he was paying $80,000 a month in divorce settlement to his exwife. That definitely contributed to his financial issues when he got out of the NBA. I don't believe he has remarried, but not sure.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger 8,818 Posted July 3, 2019 Share Posted July 3, 2019 80k A MONTH As if I needed more reasons to not get married LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gr82be 14,402 Posted July 3, 2019 Share Posted July 3, 2019 Sonny Smith submits letter to judge on behalf of Chuck Person Today 10:55 AM By Mark Heim | mheim@al.com Lawyers for former Auburn assistant basketball coach Chuck Person asked a judge Tuesday in papers filed in Manhattan federal court to spare him from prison in a college basketball bribery scandal. Among those papers was a letter submitted by former Auburn coach Sonny Smith, who is now part of the Auburn Radio Network. Smith, who joined me and Lee Shirvanian on Wednesday during “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, said the letter was not in defense of his former player in the face of the charges levied against him but rather the man he knows. “He’s got to pay for what he did,” Smith said. “That stigma is going to be stuck on him - being charged for bribery - forever, but I think his attorney is trying to get less time for Chuck by showing what kind of person he is.” The kind of individual Person is, Smith says, is a kind, considerate and giving man who could never manage his financial affairs. “I wrote a letter supporting Chuck not for what he was charged with but for all the things he did for me and all the things he’s done in the past and what kind of person he was,” said Smith, who was Person’s best man at his wedding. According to Smith, Person bought as many as 14 cars and financed the building of 10 different houses for family members in need. “He did things for the city of Brantley, scholarships for the kids to go to school,” Smith said. Scheduled to be sentenced July 9, Person, prosecutors said, accepted $91,500 in bribes to steer top players to a government cooperator posing as a financial adviser. Sentencing guidelines call for two years in prison. Three other coaches have received leniency, something Smith is hoping his letter will lead to for Person. “He was one of the hardest working players I’ve ever had,” Smith said. "He would go to practice and work like a dog, then he’d keep you for another hour working on individual things. He wanted to learn everything. He wanted to watch film, visit hospitals. He would do anything you’d ask. “When my wife had a stroke at 47, the first two players to the hospital were Charles Barkley and Chuck Person. He was that kind of person. He was a special person.” Asked if those past actions should be relevant to federal bribery charges, Smith replied: “It should matter from the standpoint of the time he might get. Look at the other basketball coaches involved in this. Everyone has gotten probation or two or three months. Thoughts like this to the judge or FBI may make them think in a different light on him and may get a lighter sentence.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuburnNTexas 7,128 Posted July 3, 2019 Share Posted July 3, 2019 Assuming all this is true. I can understand why he did what he did. He was wrong in what he did but after reading this I can forgive him for the hurt he did to Auburn and I hope he only gets probation. As the old saying goes you can't judge a man until you have walked in his shoes or something like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigerbelle 5,299 Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 I can't help but feel bad for Chuck now that the whole story is out there. I hope he can rebuild his life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aujeff11 6,243 Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 On 7/3/2019 at 12:16 PM, steeleagle said: He was married. But according to the court records, he was paying $80,000 a month in divorce settlement to his exwife. That definitely contributed to his financial issues when he got out of the NBA. I don't believe he has remarried, but not sure.. I read 30,000 a month not 80,000 Also, I remember reading after his indictment that his wife left him. Might be the same one,’ might be a different one. I don’t know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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