NCAA announces problems with Miami investigation

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – After nearly two years, the NCAA has finally announced some of the wrongdoing discovered during the investigation of Miami’s athletic compliance practices.

The alleged rule-breakers: Former NCAA employees.

NCAA President Mark Emmert revealed Wednesday that the Miami investigation is on hold after the governing body for college sports in this country discovered “a very severe issue of improper conduct” – specifically that the attorney for former booster and convicted Ponzi scheme architect Nevin Shapiro was used “to improperly obtain information … through a bankruptcy proceeding that did not involve the NCAA.”

The NCAA does not have subpoena power. At least one of the people deposed by attorney Maria Elena Perez as part of Shapiro’s bankruptcy case appeared under subpoena, and his testimony would not have been otherwise available to NCAA investigators. The investigators who were involved are no longer with the NCAA, Emmert said.

“How in the world can you get this far without it being recognized that this was an inappropriate way to proceed?” Emmert asked.

Allegations against the university are now on hold until an outside review of the NCAA’s procedures, specifically in this case, are completed.

Emmert said the NCAA was trying to find out why part of the investigation was based on depositions specific to the bankruptcy case against Shapiro, who will have to repay $82.7 million to his victims as part of his sentence. One of those depositions was given Dec. 19, 2011 by former Miami equipment-room staffer Sean Allen – who has been linked to Shapiro and many of the allegations that he made against the university.

During that deposition done as part of Shapiro’s bankruptcy proceeding, the phrase “University of Miami” was uttered at least 58 times either in questions or answers.

Miami was not part of the Ponzi scheme that led to Shapiro’s legal downfall.