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Money reportedly available to staff, Barnett
Associated Press
DENVER -- Two female athletic trainers told a grand jury investigating the University of Colorado football recruiting scandal that they were sexually assaulted by an assistant coach while the panel's investigation also uncovered a "slush fund" financed by coach Gary Barnett's Football Technique School.
One of those women also reported being "coerced to perform sexual favors for players and recruits repeatedly over a two-year period," according to the report obtained by KUSA-TV and shared with The Denver Post.
The woman said she was pressured to have sex with a recruit in a hotel room full of players. It was not immediately clear why the panel failed to issue more indictments.
Meanwhile, money for the football program was kept in "16 or 17" cash boxes, with each managed by a different person with little oversight, the Post reported.
CU director of football operations David Hansburg "told the grand jury that up to $2,500 could be missing, but not missed," from the cash boxes the report says. "All funds were available to employees of the football program" and "all funds were available to coach Barnett to use in his discretion."
Barnett told the grand jury that "the school received only income from the registration fees of [football camp] participants," according to the report.
The grand jury, which finished meeting Aug. 19, handed up just one indictment accusing former football recruiting aide Nathan Maxcey of soliciting for a prostitute for himself and misusing a school-issued cell phone. Former call girl Pasha Cowan has said Maxcey paid her $2,500 for three call girls to visit "very young, very athletic men" at Boulder-area hotels, though Maxcey has said any solicitation was for him.
In a statement provided by the CU athletic department to the station and newspaper, Barnett said: "I am sure there are things I'd like to refute, but since this has to do directly with the grand jury investigation, I am bound by law that I would not discuss my testimony or anything that was discussed by or included in the grand jury report."
Hansburg also declined comment, citing state grand jury secrecy rules.
The report concurred with an independent commission's finding last year that players used sex, alcohol and marijuana as recruiting tools without the football staff encouraging or sanctioning it.
Grand jurors added that officials' denial of knowledge about the practices "demonstrates either conscious disregard of these circumstances or a lack of oversight of recruiting practices."
In a decision being appealed by the attorney general's office, District Judge Jeff Bayless previously ruled that the report should remain secret.
The report said Barnett and Hansburg gave conflicting explanations of the team's finances while the school, its fund raising arm, the CU Foundation, as well as Barnett's football camp failed to provide all documents requested in subpoenas.
In a statement issued by the foundation, President and CEO Michael Byram also cited grand jury rules and without elaborating said one fact in the report proves the foundation is innocent of wrongdoing. Byram added all other references "are predicated on innuendo and salacious allegations designed to injure without the support or corroboration of fact."
University spokeswoman Pauline Hale referred questions to school spokesman Ray Gomez, who did not immediately return an after-hours message left with Hale.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2002282&num=0
Associated Press
DENVER -- Two female athletic trainers told a grand jury investigating the University of Colorado football recruiting scandal that they were sexually assaulted by an assistant coach while the panel's investigation also uncovered a "slush fund" financed by coach Gary Barnett's Football Technique School.
One of those women also reported being "coerced to perform sexual favors for players and recruits repeatedly over a two-year period," according to the report obtained by KUSA-TV and shared with The Denver Post.
The woman said she was pressured to have sex with a recruit in a hotel room full of players. It was not immediately clear why the panel failed to issue more indictments.
Meanwhile, money for the football program was kept in "16 or 17" cash boxes, with each managed by a different person with little oversight, the Post reported.
CU director of football operations David Hansburg "told the grand jury that up to $2,500 could be missing, but not missed," from the cash boxes the report says. "All funds were available to employees of the football program" and "all funds were available to coach Barnett to use in his discretion."
Barnett told the grand jury that "the school received only income from the registration fees of [football camp] participants," according to the report.
The grand jury, which finished meeting Aug. 19, handed up just one indictment accusing former football recruiting aide Nathan Maxcey of soliciting for a prostitute for himself and misusing a school-issued cell phone. Former call girl Pasha Cowan has said Maxcey paid her $2,500 for three call girls to visit "very young, very athletic men" at Boulder-area hotels, though Maxcey has said any solicitation was for him.
In a statement provided by the CU athletic department to the station and newspaper, Barnett said: "I am sure there are things I'd like to refute, but since this has to do directly with the grand jury investigation, I am bound by law that I would not discuss my testimony or anything that was discussed by or included in the grand jury report."
Hansburg also declined comment, citing state grand jury secrecy rules.
The report concurred with an independent commission's finding last year that players used sex, alcohol and marijuana as recruiting tools without the football staff encouraging or sanctioning it.
Grand jurors added that officials' denial of knowledge about the practices "demonstrates either conscious disregard of these circumstances or a lack of oversight of recruiting practices."
In a decision being appealed by the attorney general's office, District Judge Jeff Bayless previously ruled that the report should remain secret.
The report said Barnett and Hansburg gave conflicting explanations of the team's finances while the school, its fund raising arm, the CU Foundation, as well as Barnett's football camp failed to provide all documents requested in subpoenas.
In a statement issued by the foundation, President and CEO Michael Byram also cited grand jury rules and without elaborating said one fact in the report proves the foundation is innocent of wrongdoing. Byram added all other references "are predicated on innuendo and salacious allegations designed to injure without the support or corroboration of fact."
University spokeswoman Pauline Hale referred questions to school spokesman Ray Gomez, who did not immediately return an after-hours message left with Hale.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2002282&num=0
