Georgia Tech HC Josh Pastner's Sexual Assault Accusers Facing Fraud Charges

The couple that accused Georgia Tech basketball coach Josh Pastner of sexual assault have now been charged with "providing false information to law enforcement and facilitation of a fraud scheme practice," according to Mark Schlabach of ESPN. 

Ron Bell was a friend of Pastner but in 2018, he and his girlfriend Jennifer Pendley accused the coach of assaulting Pendley in a hotel room in 2016. 

However, an independent investigation later found the claims were "concocted" as part of an extortion scheme, per A.J. Perez of USA Today.

Bell had also accused Pastner of violating NCAA recruiting rules, but the coach filed a lawsuit against the couple for defamation.

The false allegations have now added to their legal trouble.

Bell was charged Friday in the Oro Valley Magistrate Court in Arizona, adding to his seven misdemeanor counts from March. Pendley was charged with misdemeanor facilitation of a fraud scheme practice, facilitation of influencing a witness and facilitation of tampering with a witness, but she now has an arrest warrant after failing to appear in court.

The two also allegedly encouraged a security guard to lie about witnessing the assault, although he later admitted he wasn't working that day.

Pastner is coming off his third season with Georgia Tech after spending his previous seven seasons with Memphis.