Oklahoma County prosecutors have announced that NBA player Terrance Ferguson will not be charged amid allegations of rape. An investigation into the alleged 2018 incident took place following a February 2020 report. The police have completed their investigation and did not find any evidence to suggest that the sexual conduct was not consensual.

According to The Oklahoman, the woman alleged that Ferguson had raped her during a house party in 2018 and filed a report with the police in February 2020. The pair had reportedly communicated with each other prior to the night of the house party. The Oklahoma City police obtained a copy of a video as part of the investigation. They also searched the house where the incident allegedly occurred.

“Evidence to support the reporting person’s allegations that the sexual conduct was not consensual was absent,” said District Attorney David Prater on April 18. His top sex crimes assistant declined to file charges this month in light of the investigation’s findings. The Oklahoman also reports that an incident report was not provided by the police due to Ferguson never being arrested or charged.

“Terrance Ferguson is a very respectful young man who has recently had to defend himself regarding some false allegations,” his attorney, Billy Bock, said on April 19, per The Oklahoman. “He cooperated fully with the investigation and appreciates the professionalism of the investigators with the Oklahoma City Police Department and Mr. Prater’s office, which has declined to file charges. He continues to deny any wrongdoing and is looking forward to having this experience behind him.”

A spokesman for the Oklahoma City Thunder released a statement about Ferguson and said that the team had been made aware of the situation. The NBA team “followed the protocols that are put in place, and allowed the legal process to take its course.” It’s unlikely that Ferguson will face discipline from the league or the team following the announcement by the Oklahoma County prosecutors.

The 21-year-old Ferguson has been a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder since 2017. He was selected 21st overall in the 2017 NBA Draft and has since started 123 games for the team. He is in the midst of a four-year rookie contract worth $10,323,693 and is currently scheduled to be a free agent following the 2020-21 season. The 2019-20 NBA season is currently suspended after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19 on March 11.

Already charged with resorting to fraud and bribery to get his son into USC, John Wilson was indicted Tuesday on a new count of tax fraud, deepening the Massachusetts financier’s legal troubles and suggesting prosecutors have opened a new line of attack to pressure parents who have resisted plea deals.

For help getting his son into college, Wilson paid $220,000 in 2013 to William “Rick” Singer, a Newport Beach college admissions consultant who has admitted orchestrating a decade-long scheme to defraud some of the country’s most elite universities through doctored exams, fake athletic credentials and bribes.

Prosecutors allege Wilson was aware that Singer would misrepresent his son’s athletic prowess and intended to bribe Jovan Vavic, USC’s water polo coach. Wilson’s attorneys say the financier’s son was a bona fide water polo player and that Singer had led him to believe the payment was a legitimate donation to USC.

Wilson has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud, bribery and money laundering, one of 15 parents who have maintained their innocence in the scandal. Prosecutors are trying to extradite a 16th parent who was arrested in Spain.

Seventeen parents have pleaded guilty to an array of fraud and money laundering charges. Vavic, fired by the university in March, has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit racketeering, fraud and bribery.

Federal prosecutors in Massachusetts unsealed a new indictment Tuesday, alleging Wilson committed tax fraud when he wrote off the payments in 2014. The day after his son was admitted to USC as a water polo recruit, Wilson emailed Singer, thanked him for “making this happen” and asked if he could bill him for “consulting or whatever” so he could pay with a corporate account, the indictment says.

“Yes we can send you an invoice for business consulting fees and you may write off as an expense,” Singer wrote.

Wilson’s reply, according to an affidavit filed in federal court: “Awesome!”

Singer’s accountant, Steven Masera, emailed an invoice to an employee at Wilson’s firm, Hyannis Port Capital, requesting $20,000 be paid to Singer for a “professional development program” and $100,000 to Singer’s for-profit counseling company for “business consulting.” Masera also attached a letter thanking Wilson for a $100,000 contribution to Singer’s purported charity.

Once Wilson’s firm wired the $220,000, the indictment says, Singer sent Vavic a $100,000 cashier’s check, made out to the USC men’s water polo program. Wilson wrote off the payments as charitable donations and business expenses on his 2014 tax returns, underreporting his taxable income, prosecutors allege. Wilson’s attorney didn’t respond to a request for comment. Masera has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit racketeering and is cooperating with the government.

Wilson pursued a similar deal in 2018 for his twin daughters, whom he hoped to see matriculate at Stanford or Harvard, prosecutors say. Pressed by Singer — who by that point was cooperating with the government — to commit $1.2 million, Wilson’s firm wired $500,000 to Singer’s foundation in October 2018, the indictment says.

“It’s a $500k donation I am going to make this year,” Wilson wrote to his assistant in an email, according to the indictment. “Tax write off and help getting into colleges.”

His firm wired another $500,000 two months later.

Several of Singer’s clients deducted similar payments from their tax bills, according to charging documents filed in the case. Elisabeth Kimmel, charged with conspiring to have her children admitted to Georgetown and USC as phony athletes, wrote off $275,000 that her family’s charity paid to Singer’s foundation, according to an affidavit filed in federal court. The wife of Homayoun Zadeh, a dentistry professor, asked Singer to furnish them with a tax receipt for a $25,000 donation, the affidavit says.

Zadeh has been charged with conspiring to commit fraud, bribery and money laundering to have his daughter admitted to USC — where he chaired the periodontology department — as a fake lacrosse player. Kimmel and Zadeh have pleaded not guilty.

USC, meanwhile, parted ways Tuesday with three top officials in the athletic department: Steve Lopes, its chief operating and financial officer; Ron Orr, who led fundraising efforts; and Scott Jacobson, who also worked in fundraising.

A Charleston Southern University baseball player has been accused of raping a woman last month in his North Charleston apartment.

Nik Constantakos, 20, of Shipley Street, originally from Jupiter, Fla., was charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct.

Police said that around 3 a.m. on March 6 he forcefully removed a woman’s pants, shoved her onto his bed and sexually assaulted her as she told him to stop and that she was in pain.

Both the woman and Constantakos were intoxicated after a night out drinking with mutual friends, according to the arrest affidavit.

The woman told police she went to Constantakos’ apartment to stay the night because she was too drunk, police said.

Once they returned to Constantakos’ apartment, he locked the door and “immediately began kissing her,” according to the affidavit. She tried to push him away, the report said, but Constantakos would not let her go.

Soon after, Constantakos “pulled” the woman to his bedroom and assaulted her, authorities said. The CSU pitcher is also alleged to have bitten the woman’s lip and neck.

Constantakos eventually fell off the bed, at which point the woman fled and locked herself in another bedroom at the apartment, according to the affidavit.

Following his arrest Wednesday morning, Constantakos was released on his personal recognizance the same day, according to online jail records.

CSU’s athletic department did not immediately address the player’s status.

“The university has already begun an investigation and is not at liberty to discuss the situation,” Seth Montgomery, assistant athletic director for media, said in a statement to The Post and Courier.

Reach Michael Majchrowicz at 843-607-1052. Follow him on Twitter @mjmajchrowicz.

WEST HAM are investigating allegations that Jake Livermore was abused over the death of his child.

The West Brom midfielder, 28, shoved a fan and a steward in ugly scenes at the London Stadium last night.

Sky Sports

West Ham have identified the fan involved and have called them to the club for a meeting today.

Video footage has emerged which shows the West Brom midfielder involved in a confrontation as he was being substituted in the 64th minute.

Both clubs plan a full investigation.

Livermore’s son died in 2013 when his partner went into labour, sending the former Hull midfielder into a downward spiral that led to him facing a two-year ban after testing positive for cocaine.

Ross Parry – SWNS

The seven-cap England midfielder has previously spoken about agony he suffered over Jake Junior’s death.

In 2016, he told the Mail: “The way in which (his death) happened made it difficult to fight my own demons.

“If you lose a child in God’s hands it is completely different. To find out why he had died, that was too much for my head and my heart to take.

“That pain and hurt, it makes you do desperate things. I wasn’t thinking of the consequences.

“I was broken. Most people out there will have a son, a nephew, a little brother.

“So for me, it was a relief. The drugs were irrelevant. It could have been drugs, a gun, a car crash or whatever, the self-destruct button was the problem.”

Sky Sports

Sky Sports

Baggies boss Alan Pardew said: “The only thing I know is I see Jake in the crowd, which disturbed me. Obviously you don’t want to see a player in the crowd.

“There’s no way he’s going in the crowd — because I know him, he’s a great lad — unless he was provoked severely.”

Sky Sports

Pardew admitted he did not hear whether or not his player was abused.

He added: “I’m afraid I haven’t had a chance to talk to Jake.”

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HE’S A BIT ANDY West Ham 2 West Brom 1: Andy Carroll bags 94th-minute winner to seal dramatic three points for Hammers

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In separate footage, Albion No2 John Carver can be seen pointing and remonstrating with stewards after the altercation.

Livermore was eventually led away down the tunnel and both clubs will investigate today.

Sky Sports

The row overshadowed a dramatic match in which West Ham came from a goal down to beat their relegation rivals with an injury-time winner.

Two goals from Andy Carroll lifted the Hammers out of the bottom three.

Home boss David Moyes said: “Two great goals, a great centre-forward’s header, as good as it gets.

“I don’t think any defender could stop his leap and jump. The other shows great quality, tight angle, to complete the finish.”

Carroll, who had not scored since April 1, said: “It has been a while, I am obviously relieved.

Reuters

“It was a tough game. We are disappointed with the goal we gave away, but we had to keep pushing them and we did that and got the goals.

“It was tough, I was tired at the end, but if I didn’t get into the box at the end I would have been given some stick by the staff.”

Moyes added: “I’ve got to say, for long periods it didn’t look likely we’d win.

AP:Associated Press

“We lost a goal in the last minute at Bournemouth which should have counted. Newcastle scored an offside goal here. Tonight, things went for us.”

Pardew said: “It’s heart-breaking for the players. We were hanging on physically and mentally.

“It’s very evident on the pitch because we lose Matt Phillips in the warm-up, my most influential player offensively.

“But still we put in a great first half. It’s very difficult to criticise my team.”