As reported by the Associated Press on Friday, Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper and GT Real Estate Holdings LLC are now the subject of a criminal investigation stemming from the failed construction of the Rock Hill, S.C. headquarters.
The probe will try to determine if Tepper and his real estate company misused public funds in their attempt to build the Panthers’ proposed practice facility. A joint statement from York County Sheriff Kevin Tolson and Solicitor Kevin Brackett, however, noted that this newest development in the ongoing saga is “simply an inquiry” and is not an inference that any criminality actually occurred.
GT Real Estate Holdings LLC has denied any wrongdoing in a statement of their own. It reads:
“This is a straightforward commercial matter that is being fully resolved. The underlying disputes arise under contracts that were jointly negotiated by the parties and are publicly available. The funds paid by the county were handled consistent with the terms of those contracts.”
News of the investigation comes just days after the franchise and York County announced a settlement from the lawsuit filed by the latter party back in June.
