Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Agent paid for Austin's travel, search warrant alleges

A search warrant filed by the North Carolina Secretary of State’s office alleges that sports agent Gary Wichard paid for former North Carolina football player Marvin Austin to travel to California, in apparent violation of North Carolina’s Uniform Athlete Agents Act.

The warrant, filed by Sam Cabrera, a special agent with the Department of the Secretary of State of North Carolina, seeks Bank of America records for an account belonging to Wichard. It alleges that Todd Amis, Austin’s former high school assistant coach, paid for Austin to travel to California in March 2009 and July 2009.

According to the warrant, Amis said Wichard then reimbursed him $1,000 for Austin’s March 2009 flight to California, where he trained at a facility called Pro Active Sports with former teammate Kentwan Balmer.

Amis provided N.C. Secretary of State investigators a canceled check from Pro Tect Management – Wichard’s company – dated March 3, 2009 in the amount of $1,000, according to the warrant. The check was signed by Wichard.

North Carolina’s Uniform Athlete Agents Act prohibits agents from furnishing anything of value to a student-athlete before the student-athlete enters into an agency contract.

In December, the NFL Players Association suspended Wichard’s contract adviser status for nine months for having impermissible communications with Austin.

North Carolina dismissed Austin from the team for the 2010 season for accepting impermissible benefits.

Ken Tysiac

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

When is the hammer going to drop at UNC? Other schools have been investigated recently and the NCAA has already ruled. Is there a double standard when it comes to UNC?

Anonymous said...

There is unprecedented corruption at UNC since the defensive coach was a runner for the agent (Wichard).

Anonymous said...

Game over for UNC-CHeat.

Anonymous said...

Looks like the HS coach didn't lie.

But Wichard, Austin, Balmer were caught lying.

Now that some of these guys have perjured themselves, look for one to take a deal and rat out the whole network of corruption to save their own butt from perjury and obstruction charges.

Who will throw who under the bus? And when will Blake be implicated when on of these guys comes clean?

Anonymous said...

And how about the tutor helping the UNC-CHeat athletes is fired from her job by UNC, but is then payrolled by the UNC football coach.

It is bad from all angles.

Anonymous said...

so when wichard realizes hes staring prison time in the face and starts to roll over, whos name do you think he will mention first? heres a hint, he used to be the ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH of unc football. then when blake realizes hes staring prison time in the face and starts to roll over, whos name.... you get the jist...