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Agreement proposed for booster
Posted: Friday January 14, 2000 04:41 PM
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) - A proposed plea agreement between federal authorities and banned University of Michigan basketball booster Ed Martin could disclose his involvement with former basketball players, a newspaper reported. Sources familiar with a federal investigation of Martin told The Ann Arbor News that a plea bargain agreement is being negotiated between Martin's lawyer, Neil Fink, and the U.S. Attorney's Office. Martin was banned from the basketball program in March 1997 after he became the focal point of the university's investigation into the program. FBI and Internal Revenue Service agents are investigating whether Martin and his son, Carlton, led an extensive gambling operation at Ford plants. They also are investigating whether Martin gave former Michigan players cash and gifts. A stipulation of the proposed agreement is that Martin would have to give full disclosure of his involvement with former Michigan basketball players if the school or the NCAA decides to re-open an investigation into the program, a source told the newspaper for a Thursday story. The proposed plea bargain agreement could be finalized within a week, a source said. University President Lee Bollinger told the Detroit Free Press on Thursday that he welcomed an agreement calling for Martin's full disclosure. "My position has been and still is that we want to know the truth, and we welcome the requirement of cooperation," Bollinger said. If the NCAA can prove that players took money from Martin after he was banned, Michigan could face another inquiry or further sanctions. "The question," Bollinger said, "is whether we will get new information that there have been violations of our standards and NCAA standards. If that is the case, we will reopen the investigation." Further details of the potential agreement were not known. Former Michigan players who already have been interviewed by federal authorities could be brought back yet again for another round of interviews, the source said. "That's news to me," said Detroit attorney Steven Fishman. Fishman represents former Michigan stars Robert Traylor and Louis Bullock. "If (players are being called back), they haven't asked my two guys." Fink, Martin's attorney, did not return a phone call seeking comment. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Convertino, who is heading the Martin investigation, declined to comment.
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