Drake Bell » Auburn expects notice of allegations in hoops

Auburn officials expect to receive a formal notice of allegations from the NCAA regarding alleged rules violations related to former assistant coach Chuck Person's role in a pay-for-play scheme uncovered by the federal government during its investigation into college basketball corruption.

In a victim impact statement sent to U.S. District Court Judge Loretta Preska, Auburn officials wrote that the university expected to receive a notice of allegations in the "coming months."

Preska sentenced Person to 200 hours of community service on Wednesday for accepting $91,500 in bribes from former financial adviser Marty Blazer, who was working as a cooperating witness for the government.

EDITOR'S PICKS

Person avoids prison in college bribery sentencing
Federal sentencing guidelines called for Person to serve as much as two years in prison, although three other assistant coaches involved in the scandal had previously received much lighter sentences.

Auburn's men's basketball program might still face punishment for Person's actions, according to the university.

"While Auburn believes the NCAA investigation to date has only confirmed that any staff misconduct was isolated to Person -- and that his misconduct was committed in a way so as to avoid Auburn's detection -- the University will still have to navigate the enforcement process to an ultimate conclusion, a process that may drag into yet another basketball season," Auburn's victim impact letter said. "Despite the fact that the NCAA has already imposed what Auburn believes are sufficient penalties for those student-athletes affected by Person's misbehavior, the possibility exists that Auburn's athletics department and/or men's basketball team could face further sanction and penalties from the NCAA's Committee on Infractions."

Two Auburn players -- Austin Wiley and Danjel Purifoy -- were suspended for the entire 2017-18 season for allegedly accepting improper benefits from Person. Purifoy was also suspended for 30 percent of the 2018-19 season.

The university wrote that Purifoy took $1,250 from Person and that his parents accepted $4,500 in cash and hotel rooms. Auburn officials said Wiley accepted about $800 from Person over 10 months.

Auburn is one of several schools under NCAA scrutiny as a result of the federal government's investigation. Last week, NC State announced it had received a notice of allegations from the NCAA regarding the Wolfpack's recruitment of former star player Dennis Smith Jr. The NCAA alleged two Level I violations (the most serious) against the school, including a failure-to-monitor charge against former coach Mark Gottfried, who has since been hired at Cal State Northridge.

Sources have told ESPN that the NCAA is actively investigating Arizona, Creighton, Kansas, Louisville, LSU and USC.

"Person's poor decisions failed Auburn in every way," the victim impact letter said. "They have resulted in considerable financial expense relating to internal and external investigations that confirmed the limited scope of Person's misconduct. Those costs -- which are already considerable -- will continue to rise through Auburn's completion of the NCAA process, which presents the possibility of significant sanctions and penalties flowing from Person's criminal actions. Perhaps more damaging, Person's actions have immeasurably damaged Auburn's national reputation based on it being attached -- fairly or unfairly -- to Person's criminal spectacle."
More
KJ Williams Jersey
Mike Davis Jersey
Shaq Buchanan Jersey