Federal prosecutors have charged USC assistant men’s basketball coach Tony Bland with conspiracy to commit bribery, soliciting a bribe and wire fraud as part of a wide-ranging series of indictments related to fraud and corruption in college basketball. They also discussed the need to “take care of” two USC players referred to in the complaint as “Player-8” and “Player-9.” The players were identified as a rising freshman and a rising sophomore. In the room, prosecutors said, Dawkins took an envelope containing $13,000 and said he would give it to Bland. Prosecutors also charged Bland with facilitating payments of $9,000 to families of two USC basketball players, using cash-filled envelopes. “I definitely can get the players,” Bland told the others at the meeting.

Source: Los Angeles Times September 26, 2017 14:23 UTC