LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – This was the biggest news in college basketball that wasn’t news to anybody who has followed the game within the game for years. Bigger than strippers and prostitutes frolicking at the University of Louisville basketball dorm.

Serious money flowing from an apparel company to advisers to coaches to players to ensure those players did all the things that the coaches, advisers and apparel company needed them to do.

Been hearing that for decades.

Been hearing the NCAA was investigating those tactics for years.

Been hearing the complaints from coaches who didn’t want to play that game and ended up losing recruits, then games and ultimately their jobs.

Now the federal government has popped the seal of the secret toxic world of paying for play – and college sports will never be the same.

It’s time for the University of Louisville to sweat and decide what it wants its basketball program to be, beyond the punch line that the last U of L scandal created.

It’s time for everybody to sweat, not just the four programs that had assistant coaches named in the indictment released Tuesday morning in New York City.

Federal authorities touted their tip line. They encouraged anybody with information to call -- before they received a call from the feds.

They’re nobodies in college basketball. Haven’t seen them sniff the Final Four for years. They have not been recruiting and signing the Who’s Who on the national recruiting boards.

The only somebody that took a hit was Arizona – until you dug deeper into Page 14 of indictment and started reading about University 6, Coach 1, Coach 2, Player 10, and Company 1.

That player, who allegedly needed $100,000 to commit after flirting with another apparel company, was a Class of 2017 stud who picked his school at the strangely tardy date of June 3, about two months after the NCAA spring signing period opened.

Coincidentally, June 3 is the day that Brian Bowen, a McDonald’s all-American from Saginaw, Mich., delivered a recruiting shocker – committing to the University of Louisville, even though the Cardinals had never been strongly mentioned as a landing spot for Bowen.

Michigan State, Texas and Arizona had been three schools in the front row recruiting Bowen. Over the winter and spring, those three and others dropped out.

Bowen signed with Louisville even though recruiting insiders did not speculate that Louisville was involved. It was a five-star recruiting fairy tale unlike any other. If you have followed the recruiting meat market you learned long ago not to believe in fairy tales.

Are U of L coaches and administrators sweating?

They should be sweating and preparing to pack.

If U of L basketball is involved in what this federal indictment appears to suggest, the future of Cardinal basketball will be as bleak as it has ever been, considering the program is already trying to win its appeal of penalties imposed by the NCAA for the stripper and prostitution scandal.

A potential death penalty for the basketball program that would result in no games for a period determined by the NCAA? Certainly a painful and surreal possibility.

U of L interim president Dr. Greg Postel issued a statement Tuesday afternoon, confirming the university had received notice that the school was included in this federal investigation and that the university was committed to following NCAA rules, rules that the basketball program recently violated.

It’s the minimum move Postel could make. We’re about to discover if Postel is a leader or a guy who issues statements.

I recommended a basketball reboot two years ago. If this scandal attaches itself to Louisville basketball, there’s no reason to delay.

Those are the stakes in play with this story. They’re king-sized.

It’s a textbook snapshot into the world that coaches have howled about for years. They chase a kid for winter, spring, summer and fall. They build a relationship. They connect with family members. They’re convinced they have a commitment.

Then the player commits elsewhere.

The losing coach believes that he knows why he lost the player. But he cannot prove it. Neither can the NCAA.

The federal government believes that it can expose “the dark underbelly of college basketball,” transforming the power of wiretaps, secret informants and subpoena power into investigative juice that the NCAA can only ponder.

College basketball coaches across America should be concerned, very, very concerned, especially at the University of Louisville.</s>(USA TODAY) - University of Louisville men's basketball coach Rick Pitino is out Wednesday after the FBI alleged in a criminal complaint that coaches with the program had participated in a scheme to pay recruits' families.

Steve Pence, Pitino's attorney, told the Courier-Journal the coach has been placed on administrative leave but has been "effectively fired."

The scandal, which has rocked college basketball, involves at least four named men's assistant college basketball coaches from around the country and a senior executive at Adidas.

University interim President Greg Postel confirmed Tuesday afternoon that Louisville was part of the investigation. He said the allegation "is a serious concern that goes to the heart of our athletic department and the university." Postel added that "any violations will not be tolerated."

Pitino, who is the highest paid coach in basketball, makes nearly $7.8 million a year, according to USA TODAY's salary database. He has coached at the collegiate level at Boston University, Providence College, The University of Kentucky and Louisville. He also coached the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics in the NBA.

During his nearly 30-year coaching career, he has won 770 games at the college level, two national championships and made seven Final Fours. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.

Here's a look at some of the highs and lows during his tenure at Louisville:

March 21, 2001: After four seasons as head coach of the Boston Celtics, Pitino returned to college — and the state of Kentucky — following the retirement of U of L head coach Denny Crum.



 March 26, 2005: In just his fourth season at Louisville, Pitino's team makes the Final Four after beating West Virginia, 93-85 in overtime. It was Louisville's first Final Four appearance since 1986 and the first of three under Pitino.

April 19, 2009: Pitino releases a statement saying he was the target of an extortion attempt. He later admits to having sex with Karen Sypher, the wife of a University of Louisville equipment manager, and having paid $3,000 for her to have an abortion. Sypher was later convicted of extortion. Pitino apologized.

April 8, 2013: After entering the NCAA Tournament as the No. 1 overall seed, the Cardinals defeat the University of Michigan to capture the school's third NCAA men's basketball championship.

Oct. 2, 2015: The college basketball world is rocked by a book, "Breaking Cardinal Rules," in which escort Katina Powell alleges U of L staffer Andre McGee paid strippers and prostitutes to dance and have sex with U of L players and recruits in the team dormitory. Pitino said he had no knowledge of any of the events alleged in the book.

June 5, 2017: The NCAA, which opened an investigation into the allegations,suspends Pitino for the first five ACC games of the upcoming season and hits University of Louisville with a "vacation of basketball records in which student-athletes competed while ineligible." The school is appealing that decision.

Sept. 26, 2017: An FBI investigation alleges that a coach from a public research university in Kentucky that matches the description of Louisville paid $100,000 to a basketball recruit's family. The school later acknowledged that the school's men's basketball recruiting was part of the investigation.

Contributing: Phillip M. Bailey and Justin Sayers of The Courier-Journal in Louisville, part of the USA TODAY Network.</s>(USA TODAY) - University of Louisville men's basketball coach Rick Pitino is out Wednesday after the FBI alleged in a criminal complaint that coaches with the program had participated in a scheme to pay recruits' families.

Steve Pence, Pitino's attorney, told the Courier-Journal the coach has been placed on administrative leave but has been "effectively fired."

The scandal, which has rocked college basketball, involves at least four named men's assistant college basketball coaches from around the country and a senior executive at Adidas.

University interim President Greg Postel confirmed Tuesday afternoon that Louisville was part of the investigation. He said the allegation "is a serious concern that goes to the heart of our athletic department and the university." Postel added that "any violations will not be tolerated."

Pitino, who is the highest paid coach in basketball, makes nearly $7.8 million a year, according to USA TODAY's salary database. He has coached at the collegiate level at Boston University, Providence College, The University of Kentucky and Louisville. He also coached the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics in the NBA.

During his nearly 30-year coaching career, he has won 770 games at the college level, two national championships and made seven Final Fours. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.

Here's a look at some of the highs and lows during his tenure at Louisville:

March 21, 2001: After four seasons as head coach of the Boston Celtics, Pitino returned to college — and the state of Kentucky — following the retirement of U of L head coach Denny Crum.



 March 26, 2005: In just his fourth season at Louisville, Pitino's team makes the Final Four after beating West Virginia, 93-85 in overtime. It was Louisville's first Final Four appearance since 1986 and the first of three under Pitino.

April 19, 2009: Pitino releases a statement saying he was the target of an extortion attempt. He later admits to having sex with Karen Sypher, the wife of a University of Louisville equipment manager, and having paid $3,000 for her to have an abortion. Sypher was later convicted of extortion. Pitino apologized.

April 8, 2013: After entering the NCAA Tournament as the No. 1 overall seed, the Cardinals defeat the University of Michigan to capture the school's third NCAA men's basketball championship.

Oct. 2, 2015: The college basketball world is rocked by a book, "Breaking Cardinal Rules," in which escort Katina Powell alleges U of L staffer Andre McGee paid strippers and prostitutes to dance and have sex with U of L players and recruits in the team dormitory. Pitino said he had no knowledge of any of the events alleged in the book.

June 5, 2017: The NCAA, which opened an investigation into the allegations,suspends Pitino for the first five ACC games of the upcoming season and hits University of Louisville with a "vacation of basketball records in which student-athletes competed while ineligible." The school is appealing that decision.

Sept. 26, 2017: An FBI investigation alleges that a coach from a public research university in Kentucky that matches the description of Louisville paid $100,000 to a basketball recruit's family. The school later acknowledged that the school's men's basketball recruiting was part of the investigation.

Contributing: Phillip M. Bailey and Justin Sayers of The Courier-Journal in Louisville, part of the USA TODAY Network.</s>In charge of the program since 2001, Pitino has led the Cardinals to three Final Four appearances and an NCAA title in 2013.

The school’s athletic director was fired earlier on Wednesday.

Louisville is among the schools under investigation by the FBI, where it is alleged that an Adidas executive paid the family of a top recruit $100,000 to attend the school and represent the athletic company after turning pro. Five coaches were indicted on Tuesday by the FBI on bribery and fraud charges.

"These allegations come as a complete shock to me," Pitino said in a statement through his lawyer on Tuesday. "If true, I agree with the U.S. Attorney's Office that these third-party schemes, initiated by a few bad actors, operated to commit a fraud on the impacted universities and their basketball programs, including the University of Louisville. Our fans and supporters deserve better, and I am committed to taking whatever steps are needed to ensure those responsible are held accountable."

A native of New York City, the 65-year-old Pitino is one of college basketball’s highest-profile coaches, having been involved with the game since 1974 when he came on as an assistant with the Hawaii Rainbows.

Prior to taking the Louisville job, Pitino was the head coach at Boston (1978-1983), Providence (1985-1987) and Kentucky (1989-1997), with whom he won a national title in 1996. He also coached in the professional game as the head coach of the New York Knicks (1987-1989) and the Boston Celtics (1997-2001).

This is not the first controversy faced by Louisville with Pitino at the helm.

In 2009, Pitino revealed he was the victim of an extortion attempt by the former wife of the team’s equipment manager, a woman with whom Pitino had a sexual relationship. In 2010, Karen Cunagin Sypher was found guilty of extortion and lying to federal agents.

An ESPN Outside the Lines feature in 2015 revealed that Andre Green, a former Pitino assistant with the Cardinals who was promoted to director of player personnel in 2012, paid for strippers and prostitutes at more than two dozen parties for players and recruits from 2010 to 2014. In the midst of an NCAA investigation, the school withdrew itself from postseason play in the 2015-16 season.

Pitino had a reported $55 million remaining on his contract.</s>Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino was placed on unpaid leave by the university on Wednesday in a move that means the Hall-of-Fame coach has been "effectively fired" his attorney told the Louisville Courier-Journal.

Pitino, 65, was given leave from his post after the latest scandal to rock U of L. An FBI probe into fraud and bribery exposed a number of programs and assistant coaches working illegally to obtain the services of high school prospects in a conspiracy effort to steer those players to Adidas, plus certain financial advisers and entrepreneurs. Louisville, which is under FBI investigation, is among the schools caught in the case that has quaked college basketball.

No one connected to Louisville has been publicly named or charged in the case, but this latest twist in the winter of Pitino's career could prove to be the one complication he could not wiggle out of.

Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich, who stood by Pitino and championed him to stay on at U of L despite previous scandals, is being placed on paid leave. Jurich, 61, has been at Louisville for almost 20 years.

"The allegations are serious," Louisville interim president Greg Postel said. "It is vital for this university to strictly adhere to NCAA rules and, of course, federal law. Doing nothing would be a tacit enforcement of criminal behavior.'

Postel said Pitino's status will be determined at a later date while Jurich's future will be addressed by the University of Louisville's Board of Trustees on or before its next meeting on Oct. 18.

A source told CBS Sports' Gary Parrish that Louisville has no intention of ever allowing Pitino to coach the Cardinals again.

In 2011, an out-of-wedlock sex scandal that involved extortion from Karen Sypher, Pitino's mistress, did not cost Pitino his job. Nor did an unprecedented scandal involving escorts entertaining Louisville players and recruits in dorm-room parties sporadically from 2010 to 2014. But this final scandal which, according to the FBI, includes an unnamed Louisville assistant arranging payments as recently as July for the services of a 2019 prospect, has ended Pitino's tenure with the Cardinals.

The escort scandal/NCAA case is currently under appeal by Louisville. The NCAA has levied charges that could include vacating the 2013 national championship. If that happens, it will mark the first time the NCAA has removed a championship from a Division I men's basketball program. Pitino, who has 770 wins to his name, also stands to lose a lot victories on his record because of players who could ultimately be ruled ineligible after the fact.

Concurrently, Louisville is embroiled in an FBI investigation due to illicit recruitment of multiple players, a wide-ranging conspiracy that also includes two Adidas representatives, financial advisors and entrepreneurs. A wiretapped conversation between an unnamed U of L assistant and an undercover agent on July 27 came 42 days after the NCAA made its initial ruling in the escort case, in June. Louisville was, and remains, on probation.

SPORTSLINE: WHO COULD TAKE OVER AT LOUISVILLE?

One high-profile Louisville player, freshman Brian Bowen, a 2017 five-star prospect, is not specifically named in the FBI's complaint but connecting the dots leaves only Bowen as the possible candidate for "Player 10" at "University-6" (Louisville). Accusations by the FBI include $100,000 payments, in four installments, from an Adidas representative to the family of "Player 10." Upon completion of those payments, per the FBI's records, "Player 10" committed to Louisville shortly thereafter. The timeline matches Bowen's commitment to Louisville on June 5.

Pitino's was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013. He was the coach at Boston University from 1978-1983, then led Providence from 1985-87 before taking the New York Knicks job. Pitino struggled in the NBA, accumulating a 192-220 record in two seasons with the Knicks and four seasons with the Boston Celtics. His stints with two legendary programs in the state of Kentucky came to define his coaching career -- before the scandals of recent years.

Pitino brought the University of Kentucky back to national prominence after major NCAA sanctions grounded the program in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 1996, he coached the Wildcats to a national championship with a roster that's considered one of the most talented in college basketball history. He made another title game in 1997 before taking the Celtics job.

In 2001, Pitino returned to college basketball and took the reins on Louisville's program. Pitino took the program to the NCAA Tournament in all but three of his 16 seasons at U of L. He holds a 416-141 record -- for now. He is the only coach in men's basketball history to win a national title at two programs, and is the only coach to bring three programs (Providence, UK, Louisville) to the Final Four.

Since being hired at Louisville in 1997, Jurich has been responsible for a complete turnaround of the athletic department. Not only was he responsible for hiring Pitino, who brought the Cardinals their first basketball national championship since 1986, he changed the culture of the football program by hiring Bobby Petrino and later Charlie Strong.

Petrino went 41-9 in four seasons during his first stop at Louisville and played a major role in the program moving from Conference USA to the Big East. After three down seasons under Steve Kragthorpe, Louisville and Jurich hired Strong, who went 37-15 in four seasons and helped Louisville regain the football prominence to join first the AAC and then the ACC. It was at that point that Jurich rehired Petrino, who went 67-22 in his first three years back with the program prior to this season.

Cardinal Authority's Jody Demling, who has been covering the program exclusively for 10 years, knows what went on behind-the-scenes leading up to Rick Pitino being placed on leave. He's on-campus right now with the latest impact on recruiting, the next coach, and all of the fallout. If you're a Louisville fan, you won't want to miss it. Visit CardinalAuthority.com now for the very latest.</s>LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville has placed coach Rick Pitino and athletic director Tom Jurich on administrative leave amid a federal bribery investigation.

Interim university President Greg Postel said at a news conference Wednesday that Jurich is on paid leave, while Pitino is on unpaid leave. The coach's attorney, Steve Spence, told the Courier-Journal that Louisville has "effectively fired" Pitino.

Neither Pitino nor Jurich attended the news conference.

"I'm more angry than embarrassed," Postel said. "We will be looking for someone with integrity. There's no reason this team can't have a good season.

"It is vital for this university to strictly adhere to the NCAA rules and of course federal law. Failure to do that would be a tacit endorsement of criminal behavior."

Pitino's exit comes after the school acknowledged Tuesday that the men's program is part of a federal investigation into alleged bribery of recruits. The 65-year-old coach was not named in the indictment that resulted in the arrest of 10 people, including four assistant coaches at other schools and an Adidas executive.

it is the latest black eye for the Cardinals program. Pitino and Louisville are in the middle of appealing NCAA sanctions handed out in June after an escort scandal that unfolded nearly two years ago, which could cost the school its 2013 national title.

Jurich has supported Pitino through his transgressions during the athletic director's nearly 20-year tenure at the university.

Pitino, 65, was 416-143 over 16 years at Louisville, including that 2013 NCAA championship.

In the latest investigation, federal prosecutors say at least three top high school recruits were promised payments of as much as $150,000, using money supplied by Adidas, to attend two universities sponsored by the athletic shoe company. Court papers didn't name the schools but contained enough details to identify one of them as Louisville.

Postel also said Wednesday that one student-athlete has been informed he will not practice or play for the university until investigation is resolved.

"This decision will protect the interests of both the student and the University of Louisville," Postel said.

Pitino is not named in the federal documents, though the school acknowledged it is under investigation by the FBI.

"These allegations come as a complete shock to me," the coach said in a statement Tuesday night. "If true, I agree with the U.S. Attorney's Office that these third-party schemes, initiated by a few bad actors, operated to commit a fraud on the impacted universities and their basketball programs, including the University of Louisville. Our fans and supporters deserve better and I am committed to taking whatever steps are needed to ensure those responsible are held accountable."

Louisville was already reeling from the sex scandal. The program has been ordered to vacate up to 123 victories in which ineligible players received improper benefits — a period that includes the 2013 title, its third — along with the 2012 Final Four appearance. The NCAA also placed the school on four years' probation and ordered the return of money received through conference revenue sharing. McGee received a 10-year, show-cause penalty.

Pitino was ordered to miss five unspecified Atlantic Coast Conference games this season.

The NCAA noted that Cardinal players and recruits had received improper benefits and called the activities in the dorm "repugnant" in its decision.

Pitino is 770-271 over a 32-year coaching career with stops at Hawaii, Boston, Providence and Kentucky, where he won the 1996 NCAA title. He has also coached in the NBA with the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks.

But that success has been overshadowed by a recent series of episodes that began nearly two years ago with escort Katina Powell's book allegations that former Cardinals staffer Andre McGee hired her and other dancers for sex parties with players and recruits in the team's dormitory.

Powell wrote in Breaking Cardinal Rules: Basketball and the Escort Queen that former Cardinals men's basketball staffer Andre McGee hired her and other dancers to strip and have sex with players and recruits from 2010-14. Powell said McGee paid her $10,000 for 22 shows, with most occurring in the team's Billy Minardi Hall dormitory named for Pitino's brother-in-law, who died in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York.

Pitino denied knowledge of the activities described in Powell's book and criticized McGee for his actions.

Before the sex scandal case, Pitino had to testify in 2010 in a federal extortion trial for the wife of the school's equipment manager, when he acknowledged under oath to having an extramarital affair with her in a Louisville restaurant.</s>LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville has placed coach Rick Pitino and athletic director Tom Jurich on administrative leave amid a federal bribery investigation.

Interim university President Greg Postel said at a news conference Wednesday that Jurich is on paid leave, while Pitino is on unpaid leave. The coach’s attorney, Steve Spence, told the Courier-Journal that Louisville has “effectively fired” Pitino.

Neither Pitino nor Jurich attended the news conference.

“I’m more angry than embarrassed,” Postel said. “We will be looking for someone with integrity. There’s no reason this team can’t have a good season.

“It is vital for this university to strictly adhere to the NCAA rules and of course federal law. Failure to do that would be a tacit endorsement of criminal behavior.”

Pitino’s exit comes after the school acknowledged on Tuesday that the men’s program is part of a federal investigation into alleged bribery of recruits. The 65-year-old coach was not named in the indictment that resulted in the arrest of 10 people including four assistant coaches at other schools and an Adidas executive.

It is the latest black eye for the Cardinals program. Pitino and Louisville are in the middle of appealing NCAA sanctions handed out in June following an escort scandal that unfolded nearly two years ago, which could cost the school its 2013 national title.

Jurich has supported Pitino through his transgressions during the athletic director’s nearly 20-year tenure at the university.

Pitino, 65, was 416-143 over 16 years at Louisville, including that 2013 NCAA championship.

In the latest investigation, federal prosecutors say at least three top high school recruits were promised payments of as much as $150,000, using money supplied by Adidas, to attend two universities sponsored by the athletic shoe company. Court papers didn’t name the schools but contained enough details to identify one of them as Louisville.

Postel also said Wednesday that one student-athlete has been informed he will not practice or play for the university until investigation is resolved.

“This decision will protect the interests of both the student and the University of Louisville,” Postel said.

Pitino is not named in the federal documents, though the school acknowledged it is under investigation by the FBI.

“These allegations come as a complete shock to me,” the coach said in a statement Tuesday night. “If true, I agree with the U.S. Attorney’s Office that these third-party schemes, initiated by a few bad actors, operated to commit a fraud on the impacted universities and their basketball programs, including the University of Louisville. Our fans and supporters deserve better and I am committed to taking whatever steps are needed to ensure those responsible are held accountable.”

Louisville was already reeling from the sex scandal. The program has been ordered to vacate up to 123 victories in which ineligible players received improper benefits — a period that includes the 2013 title, its third — along with the 2012 Final Four appearance. The NCAA also placed the school on four years’ probation and ordered the return of money received through conference revenue sharing. McGee received a 10-year, show-cause penalty.

Pitino was ordered to miss five unspecified Atlantic Coast Conference games this season.

The NCAA noted that Cardinal players and recruits had received improper benefits and called the activities in the dorm “repugnant” in its decision.

Pitino is 770-271 over a 32-year coaching career with stops at Hawaii, Boston, Providence and Kentucky, where he won the 1996 NCAA title. He has also coached in the NBA with the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks.

But that success has been overshadowed by a recent series of embarrassing episodes that began nearly two years ago with escort Katina Powell’s book allegations that former Cardinals staffer Andre McGee hired her and other dancers for sex parties with players and recruits in the team’s dormitory.

Powell wrote in “Breaking Cardinal Rules: Basketball and the Escort Queen” that former Cardinals men’s basketball staffer Andre McGee hired her and other dancers to strip and have sex with players and recruits from 2010-14. Powell said McGee paid her $10,000 for 22 shows with most occurring in the team’s Billy Minardi Hall dormitory named for Pitino’s brother-in-law, who died in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York.

Pitino denied knowledge of the activities described in Powell’s book and criticized McGee for his actions.

Before the sex scandal case, Pitino had to testify in 2010 in a federal extortion trial for the wife of the school’s equipment manager, when he acknowledged under oath to having an extramarital affair with her in a Louisville restaurant.

Monday will mark two years since the escort scandal broke and sparked multiple investigations, including one by the school as well as the NCAA. Louisville’s own investigation determined that violations did occur and announced in February 2016 a self-imposed postseason ban along with recruiting restrictions.

Those measures were implemented in hopes of mitigating further discipline by the NCAA, which accepted the self-imposed ban. That didn’t happen. The NCAA’s Committee on Infractions dismissed Pitino’s contention that he was unaware of McGee’s activities and imposed harsher penalties on the program and the coach.

Louisville’s appeal contends that the NCAA overstepped its authority with “draconian” penalties. Pitino called the penalties “unjust and over the top in its severity” when announced on June 15.

Tuesday’s indictment also occurs just over a month since Adidas and Louisville announced a 10-year, $160 million partnership extension through 2028. The sportswear maker has been partnered with the school since 1998.</s>Men's basketball coach Rick Pitino expressed "complete shock" that Louisville is involved in the federal investigation into fraud and corruption in recruiting.

Interim university president Gregory Postel announced Tuesday that Louisville had been notified of its part in the federal investigation.
• None Rick Pitino could be staring at his final days as coach He has been through a sex scandal in which a mistress went to jail for extortion. He made it through strippers in dorm rooms partying with players and recruits. Now, with the FBI at the door, it will be difficult for Rick Pitino to escape this scandal.
• None Federal prosecutors have announced charges of fraud and corruption in college basketball. Among those arrested and charged are four assistant coaches at Auburn, Arizona, Oklahoma State and USC.
• None Vaccaro: Apparel co. schemes nothing new Sonny Vaccaro said he thinks schemes involving apparel companies, coaches, players and agents have existed "forever," but that they are carried out on a bigger scale today.

"These allegations come as a complete shock to me," Pitino said in a prepared statement. "If true, I agree with the U.S. Attorneys Office that these third-party schemes, initiated by a few bad actors, operated to commit a fraud on the impacted universities and their basketball programs, including the University of Louisville. Our fans and supporters deserve better and I am committed to taking whatever steps are needed to ensure those responsible are held accountable."

Earlier in the day, federal prosecutors in New York announced charges of fraud and corruption against 10 people involved in college basketball, including four assistant coaches -- Auburn's Chuck Person, Oklahoma State's Lamont Evans, Arizona's Emanuel "Book" Richardson and USC's Tony Bland.

The three-year FBI probe focused on coaches being paid tens of thousands of dollars to steer NBA-bound players toward sports agents, financial advisers and apparel companies.

Federal criminal complaints accuse at least one coach at a "public research university located in Kentucky" -- identified as Louisville -- of taking part in a scheme to funnel about $100,000 from Adidas company to an All-American high school player that the Cardinals were recruiting.

Louisville is currently on probation by the NCAA, and Pitino is facing a suspension by college's governing body following a sex scandal investigation.

On June 15, the NCAA suspended Pitino for five Atlantic Coast Conference games. The university is appealing.

The NCAA also placed the basketball program on four years' probation, vacated wins in which ineligible players participated and issued a 10-year show-cause order for former basketball operations director Andre McGee.

Former escort Katina Powell alleged that McGee had hired her and other escorts to strip and have sex with Louisville recruits and players.</s>LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville has placed coach Rick Pitino and athletic director Tom Jurich on administrative leave amid a federal bribery investigation.

Interim university President Greg Postel said at a news conference Wednesday that Jurich is on paid leave, while Pitino is on unpaid leave. The coach's attorney, Steve Spence, told the Courier-Journal that Louisville has "effectively fired" Pitino.

Neither Pitino nor Jurich attended the news conference.

"I'm more angry than embarrassed," Postel said. "We will be looking for someone with integrity. There's no reason this team can't have a good season.

"It is vital for this university to strictly adhere to the NCAA rules and of course federal law. Failure to do that would be a tacit endorsement of criminal behaviour."

Pitino's exit comes after the school acknowledged on Tuesday that the men's program is part of a federal investigation into alleged bribery of recruits. The 65-year-old coach was not named in the indictment that resulted in the arrest of 10 people including four assistant coaches at other schools and an Adidas executive.

it is the latest black eye for the Cardinals program. Pitino and Louisville are in the middle of appealing NCAA sanctions handed out in June following an escort scandal that unfolded nearly two years ago, which could cost the school its 2013 national title.

Jurich has supported Pitino through his transgressions during the athletic director's nearly 20-year tenure at the university.

Pitino, 65, was 416-143 over 16 years at Louisville, including that 2013 NCAA championship.

In the latest investigation, federal prosecutors say at least three top high school recruits were promised payments of as much as $150,000, using money supplied by Adidas, to attend two universities sponsored by the athletic shoe company. Court papers didn't name the schools but contained enough details to identify one of them as Louisville.

Postel also said Wednesday that one student-athlete has been informed he will not practice or play for the university until investigation is resolved.

"This decision will protect the interests of both the student and the University of Louisville," Postel said.

Pitino is not named in the federal documents, though the school acknowledged it is under investigation by the FBI.

"These allegations come as a complete shock to me," the coach said in a statement Tuesday night. "If true, I agree with the U.S. Attorney's Office that these third-party schemes, initiated by a few bad actors, operated to commit a fraud on the impacted universities and their basketball programs, including the University of Louisville. Our fans and supporters deserve better and I am committed to taking whatever steps are needed to ensure those responsible are held accountable."

Louisville was already reeling from the sex scandal. The program has been ordered to vacate up to 123 victories in which ineligible players received improper benefits — a period that includes the 2013 title, its third — along with the 2012 Final Four appearance. The NCAA also placed the school on four years' probation and ordered the return of money received through conference revenue sharing. McGee received a 10-year, show-cause penalty.

Pitino was ordered to miss five unspecified Atlantic Coast Conference games this season.

The NCAA noted that Cardinal players and recruits had received improper benefits and called the activities in the dorm "repugnant" in its decision.

Pitino is 770-271 over a 32-year coaching career with stops at Hawaii, Boston, Providence and Kentucky, where he won the 1996 NCAA title. He has also coached in the NBA with the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks.

But that success has been overshadowed by a recent series of embarrassing episodes that began nearly two years ago with escort Katina Powell's book allegations that former Cardinals staffer Andre McGee hired her and other dancers for sex parties with players and recruits in the team's dormitory.

Powell wrote in "Breaking Cardinal Rules: Basketball and the Escort Queen" that former Cardinals men's basketball staffer Andre McGee hired her and other dancers to strip and have sex with players and recruits from 2010-14. Powell said McGee paid her $10,000 for 22 shows with most occurring in the team's Billy Minardi Hall dormitory named for Pitino's brother-in-law, who died in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York.

Pitino denied knowledge of the activities described in Powell's book and criticized McGee for his actions.

Before the sex scandal case, Pitino had to testify in 2010 in a federal extortion trial for the wife of the school's equipment manager, when he acknowledged under oath to having an extramarital affair with her in a Louisville restaurant.

Monday will mark two years since the escort scandal broke and sparked multiple investigations, including one by the school as well as the NCAA. Louisville's own investigation determined that violations did occur and announced in February 2016 a self-imposed post-season ban along with recruiting restrictions.

Those measures were implemented in hopes of mitigating further discipline by the NCAA, which accepted the self-imposed ban. That didn't happen. The NCAA's Committee on Infractions dismissed Pitino's contention that he was unaware of McGee's activities and imposed harsher penalties on the program and the coach.

Louisville's appeal contends that the NCAA overstepped its authority with "draconian" penalties. Pitino called the penalties "unjust and over the top in its severity" when announced on June 15.

Tuesday's indictment also occurs just over a month since Adidas and Louisville announced a 10-year, $160 million partnership extension through 2028. The sportswear maker has been partnered with the school since 1998.</s>Amid reports that men's basketball coach Rick Pitino and athletic director Tom Jurich have been fired, Louisville has scheduled a news conference for 10 a.m. Pacific time, when officials are expected to address the university’s involvement in a federal bribery investigation, the latest scandal involving the Cardinals men’s basketball program.

Pitino's attorney, Steve Spence, has told the Courier-Journal that Louisville has put the basketball coach on administrative leave, but has “effectively fired” Pitino amid the bribery investigation.

Pitino is not mentioned in the federal indictment announced Tuesday that resulted in the arrest of 10 people, including four assistant basketball coaches at major Division I programs. The investigation and arrests come as Pitino and Louisville are appealing NCAA sanctions following a sex scandal that began nearly two years ago.

In the latest investigation, federal prosecutors say at least three top high school recruits were promised payments of as much as $150,000, using money supplied by Adidas, to attend two universities sponsored by the athletic shoe company. Court papers didn’t name the schools but contained enough details to identify one of them as Louisville.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

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The University of Louisville, whose men's basketball team was linked to illicit payments by Adidas to the family of freshman player Brian Bowen, places head coach Rick Pitino and athletic director Tom Jurich on administrative leave, pending further university action. Pitino's attorney tells Louisville's newspaper, The Courier-Journal, that Pitino has been "effectively fired", and multiple media reports indicate that Jurich has also been effectively fired. Louisville men's basketball was already on NCAA probation due to violations related to a recent sex scandal.