FBI Agent in College Basketball Corruption Case Accused of Misconduct

An agent involved in the FBI's probe into corruption in college basketball has been accused of misusing government funds.

According to Rebecca Davis O'Brien of the Wall Street Journal (h/t Jeff Greer of the Louisville Courier Journal), "people familiar with the matter" said it is alleged that the agent used government funds on food, drinks and gambling.

In September, 10 people were charged with fraud and/or corruption related to bribes meant to influence basketball players' decisions to sign with certain agents and apparel companies.

Per Davis O'Brien (h/t Greer), the agent spent months undercover in the spring of 2017, but appeared to stop his undercover work shortly after meeting with Pittsburgh financial adviser Marty Blazer in Las Vegas on July 29.

As part of the corruption investigation, four former college basketball assistant coaches were charged: Chuck Person (Auburn), Lamont Evans (Oklahoma State), Emanuel Richardson (Arizona) and Tony Bland (USC), according to ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach.

Adidas Director of Global Sports Marketing James Gatto was also among those charged.

In October, Louisville fired Rick Pitino as head men's basketball coach in the wake of the corruption scandal.

The Courier-Journal reported in September that the FBI investigation yielded allegations that an Adidas executive planned to pay the family of Louisville recruit Brian Bowen $100,000 in exchange for his promise to be represented by Adidas once he turned pro.

Bowen left the school in the midst of the investigation and has since been admitted to play at South Carolina.