NCAA Charges Rick Pitino, Not Louisville, Over Dorm Escort Scandal

The University of Louisville confirmed Thursday that the NCAA had formally charged current and former staff members of it’s men’s basketball program, including head coach Rick Pitino, with major rules violations relating to a scandal involving a university employee who provided escorts to perform sexual acts with players and recruits.

NCAA Charges Rick Pitino, Not Louisville Over Dorm Escort Scandal

The NCAA’s notice of allegations, released Thursday morning, includes four Level 1 charges: one to Pitino, two directed at former director of basketball operations Andre McGee and one aimed at former assistant Brandon Williams. The university itself was not charged with any violations, including a lack of institutional control or failure to monitor, the two most egregious NCAA infractions.

Pitino, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013, has denied that he knew about McGee’s actions. The NCAA alleges that the 64-year-old coach “did not monitor” McGee and failed to “spot-check” his program, including “actively looking for red flags.”

Pitino has also repeatedly denied any knowledge of the accusations made by former prostitute Katina Powell. In her October 2015 book, Breaking Cardinal Rules, Powell alleged that McGee paid her and other escorts and strippers thousands of dollars and gave them tickets to games in exchange for sex with recruits and players in the players’ dormitory, Minardi Hall during a four-year period. The NCAA concurred, alleging that McGree paid some $5,400 to the escorts.

In a statement, Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich said he pledged to appeal the charge that Pitino had failed to monitor his employees.

“The N.O.A. aligns with the results of our inquiry: Improper activities took place in a dormitory that never should have occurred,” Jurich said, referring to the notice of allegations and going on to allude to Louisville’s self-imposed postseason ban last season. “When the facts were established, we acted. We took appropriate punitive and corrective actions.”

Louisville has 90 days to respond to the NCAA’s letter, and a hearing before the Committee on Infractions is expected to be scheduled for next spring.

The university will hold a news conference at noon ET Thursday, when Pitino, Jurich and Pinto will discuss the NCAA notice of allegations.

In conjunction with the university, the NCAA hired two consultants — Chuck Smart and Steve Thompson — to lead the investigation and conduct more than 90 interviews.

Pitino is one of college basketball’s most celebrated and accomplished coaches, credited with reviving Kentucky’s program in the 1990s and leading it to the 1996 national championship. Following an unsuccessful stint in the NBA with the Boston Celtics, Pitino returned to the state and led Louisville to an NCAA title in 2013.

SYRACUSE, NY – FEBRUARY 18: Head coach Rick Pitino of the Louisville Cardinals calls a play for his team against the Syracuse Orange during the second half at the Carrier Dome on February 18, 2015 in Syracuse, New York. Syracuse defeated Louisville 69-59. (Photo by Rich Barnes/Getty Images)

Article by Pablo Mena