Judge Rules Louisville Made 'Deliberate Attempt' to Hide Basketball Scandals

A judge determined Wednesday the University of Louisville likely attempted to keep information from the public related to the school's ongoing college basketball scandal, WDRB's Jason Riley reported.

Riley shared the ruling from Jefferson Circuit Judge Barry Willett:

"The University has consistently refused to produce those records based on an unreasonably narrow interpretation of Dr. [Peter] Hasselbacher's open records request. Moreover, the University has never articulated a plausible legal basis for denying Dr. Hasselbacher access to those records. Under the circumstances, the University's conduct appears to be nothing more than a deliberate attempt to conceal information that it considers to be embarrassing and damaging to its reputation." 

Louisville filed suit against Hasselbacher in October 2016 after the Kentucky attorney general ruled the university violated the state's open records law. Hasselbacher had requested documents related to Louisville's decision to self-impose a postseason ban during the 2015-16 season amid allegations of recruiting violations.

The NCAA subsequently vacated the Cardinals' 2013 national championship and 2012 Final Four run after a former escort said an assistant on Louisville's staff, Andre McGee, arranged to have strippers attend parties on the university campus for players and prospective recruits. The NCAA also placed a 10-year show-cause penalty on McGee.

Louisville fired head coach Rick Pitino amid fallout from another scandal that roped the Cardinals into the FBI's investigation into corruption in college basketball.

Federal authorities said they had audio and video evidence of a Louisville assistant conspiring with others to pay the family of Brian Bowen, a recruit who committed to Louisville. In the FBI's indictment, Christian Dawkins, an AAU basketball coach, said he spoke with Pitino about arranging the payment with an executive from Adidas, which is Louisville's apparel provider.