The apparent fraud stretched back to 1997, ESPN said in a statement, acknowledging that members of its team “were clearly wrong” for concocting the scheme. “Some members of our team were clearly wrong in submitting certain names that may go back to 1997 in Emmy categories where they were not eligible for recognition or statuettes,” an ESPN spokesperson said in a statement. The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, which administers the Emmys, said it discovered the fraud, prompting an investigation. The Athletic reported that there was no evidence that the staffers who received the awards were aware of the behind-the-scenes fraud. NATAS said in a statement to CNN that it had identified several “fictitious credits” submitted by ESPN to multiple sports Emmys categories.

Source: CNN January 12, 2024 12:25 UTC