At a time when the ideal of amateurism in college athletics appears shakier than ever, Yahoo Sports reported Tuesday that University of Miami players, coaches and athletic officials received thousands of benefits in violation of NCAA rules from a booster from 2002 through 2010.
NCAA officials visited Miami this week to investigate allegations made by former Hurricanes booster Nevin Shapiro, a felon who is incarcerated for his role in an elaborate $900 million Ponzi scheme. Shapiro said he gave hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash to Miami players and the service of prostitutes and entertainment in his million dollar homes and yachts. He also said he arranged bounties on opposing players like the University of Florida's Tim Tebow and Florida State University's Chris Rix.
The allegations involve 72 former Miami athletes, including Jonathan Vilma, Kellen Winslow Jr. and Devin Hester, and current quarterback Jacory Harris.
Yahoo reported that former Miami star Vince Wilfork, now with the New England Patriots, reportedly accepted $50,000 while playing for the Hurricanes and later signed with a sports agency where Shapiro was a part owner.
Shapiro also told Yahoo that he paid $10,000 to secure the commitment of current Miami basketball player DeQuan Jones with the knowledge of former Miami assistant coach Jake Morton. The report said that former basketball coach Frank Haith, now Missouri's coach, acknowledged the payment to Shapiro in a conversation.
"I don't know if any of that is true," Paul Dee, Miami's athletic director from 1993 to 2008, said Tuesday night in a telephone interview. "That's an allegation. Everyone will go through it and see what they have to say."
Dee is the former chairman of the NCAA infractions committee who lectured USC in its case regarding Reggie Bush and O.J. Mayo by saying, "High-profile players demand high-profile compliance."
The University of Miami said in a statement, "The University of Miami takes any allegations seriously, and will continue to cooperate fully in a joint investigation with the NCAA."
It is unclear how many of the alleged violations fall under the NCAA's statute of limitations policies for infractions cases.
Only last week, Mark Emmert, the president of the NCAA, held a retreat with college presidents and top athletic officials to discuss reform.