The release of former Adidas consultant Merl Code’s book Black Market—which claims that former Louisville coach Rick Pitino had knowledge of and authorized payments to players’ families—caused the NCAA’s Complex Case Unit to issue additional formal allegations of infractions against Pitino, claiming that he offered a $100,000 payment to the father of former recruit Brian Bowen in 2017.
Pitino, now the head coach at Iona College, has denied the claims, per USA TODAY‘s Tim Sullivan.
Code was eventually convicted—along with former Adidas employee James Gatto and business manager Christian Dawkins—in October ’18 on felony charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
