FBI investigation

Jim Larrañaga gets contract extension

Hurricanes named in new court documents.

On the same day the University of Miami announced a two-year contract extension for Hurricanes men’s basketball coach Jim Larrañaga, the school’s name appeared in new court documents related to the FBI’s ongoing probe into corruption in college basketball.

In an indictment handed down late Tuesday afternoon, federal prosecutors announced additional charges against former Adidas executive Jim Gatto, alleging he and others worked to funnel money to the families of high school basketball players that were considering playing for college programs “sponsored by the same major athletic apparel company.”

Gatto was first charged in September and at the time, Miami was referenced only as ‘University-7’ in court documents, though it did not take long for the school and Larrañaga to acknowledge they were cooperating with federal authorities investigating the matter.

Then, Miami’s potential involvement was linked to the efforts of Gatto, another former Adidas official Merl Code, agent Christian Dawkins and travel

basketball coach Brad Augustine to funnel $150,000 to a 2018 basketball prospect in order to get him to sign with ‘University-7.’

In Tuesday’s indictment, there was no mention of Augustine — who, according to the Washington Post had charges against him dropped in February — and no new allegations were made involving Miami.

Instead, prosecutors alleged Miami was now one of four schools, including Kansas, North Carolina State and Louisville, that were defrauded by Gatto and the other defendants, the documents saying they were, “depriving the universities of significant and necessary information regarding the non-complaince with NCAA rules by the relevant student-athletes and their families, and, in some cases by certain corrupt coaches involved in the scheme.”

The only player linked to Miami in Tuesday’s indictment was the same 2018 prospect mentioned in September and the only coach was ‘Coach-3,’ whom Larrañaga said in October he believed referred to himself.

Then, Larrañaga also denied any wrongdoing saying, “I am grateful that we have come to that conclusion as I know I did nothing wrong, and it’s comforting to know that none of my assistants are connected in any way.”

Tuesday’s indictment made no mention of money actually being given to the prospect or anyone okaying the deal, though Code and Gatto allegedly discussed negotiating a $150,000 payment to the recruit being lowered to $100,000.

In September when initial charges were filed, the Hurricanes had no players verbally committed to their 2018 recruiting class.

That remains the case six months later with Larrañaga now tasked with trying to rebuild the Miami roster.