Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Joon H. Kim, second from right, and FBI Assistant Director William Sweeney, Jr., right, hold a press conference to announce the arrest of four assistant basketball coaches from Arizona, Auburn, the University of Southern California and Oklahoma State on federal corruption charges, Tuesday Sept. 26, 2017, in New York. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)(Photo: Bebeto Matthews, AP)
The FBI recorded communication between numbers tied to Rashan Michel and an NBA scout who served as an agent for a former University of Louisville basketball player as part of its investigation into corruption in college basketball, according to court documents.
On Thursday, an attorney for Makhtar Ndiaye wrote a letter to U.S. District Court Judge Loretta A. Preska requesting access to any recordings the FBI obtained via wiretap of conversations between Michel, who was charged in the FBI’s investigation, and Ndiaye, a New York Knicks scout who previously represented former Louisville player and fellow Senegal native Gorgui Dieng.
In a letter dated Jan. 26, the FBI informed Ndiaye, who played basketball at Michigan and North Carolina before a brief NBA career, that it had wiretapped a phone number associated with Michel and “subscribed to” by Lavagun Foster, according to the letter.
More
Judge denies motion to dismiss charges against 3 men in FBI hoops case
It’s a waiting game now with no end in sight in FBI college basketball probe | Sullivan
Trial date set for two men charged in FBI college basketball investigation
Reached for comment at the phone number listed in the letter, Michel said he would not address the wiretap on his phone. He said Ndiaye’s name did not sound familiar. In the middle of a question about Michel’s relationship with Foster, the line was disconnected.
Foster’s connection to this case is unclear.
North Carolina’s Makhtar Ndiaye (4) reacts after blocking a shot by Virginia’s Colin Ducharme (52) during a game Jan. 10, 1998. As part of its investigation into corruption in college basketball, the FBI intercepted communication between a phone number tied to Ndiaye and Rashan Michel, one of eight men indicted in the FBI’s case. (Photo: Grant Halverson/Associated Press)
Ndiaye, Ndiaye’s attorney, Foster and Michel’s attorney could not be reached for comment Monday.
Michel, a former NBA referee whose clothing company primarily serves professional athletes, was one of 10 men charged last September and eight indicted in the college basketball recruiting scandal. He and former Auburn associate head coach Chuck Person are both facing six counts, including bribery, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and solicitation of bribes and gratuities. Michel and Person’s trial is scheduled for Feb. 4, 2019.
The federal complaint released in September alleged that Person accepted about $91,500 in bribes in exchange for agreeing to steer Auburn players to do business with Michel and an FBI witness posing as a financial advisor. Michel, who introduced the advisor to Person, is accused of helping devise and execute the scheme. He also allegedly solicited and accepted more bribes to introduce the advisor to other college coaches.
Ndiaye, 44, is the first Senegalese-born player to play in the NBA. While in college at North Carolina, he was known for being at the center of a number of college basketball controversies.
More
Report: FBI agent in college basketball corruption probe accused of misconduct
ESPN: Charges against AAU director dropped because he kept bribe money meant for player
1,300 recorded phone calls submitted as evidence in FBI’s college basketball investigation
According to WRAL-TV, the NBC affiliate in Raleigh, North Carolina, he accused an opposing player of using a racial slur during a Final Four game against Utah. He later admitted that he made up the story and apologized in a written letter.
He was later found guilty of assault after a man said Ndiaye grabbed him by the neck and threatened to kill him during an argument. He was sentenced to 12 months unsupervised probation, a $200 fine and mandatory anger management classes.
He signed with the Vancouver Grizzlies after going undrafted and played in four games, averaging 1.3 points in 6.8 minutes. He continued his professional career overseas in Europe, mostly in France, and played for the Senegalese national team.
As an agent, his clients included Dieng, who is in his fifth season with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Ndiaye’s LinkedIn page states that he was an agent with the Wasserman Media Group — a high-profile sports agency — for eight years before leaving in 2016. He is now a scout for the New York Knicks, a Knicks spokesman confirmed via email.