A former assistant basketball coach at the University of Louisville is facing federal charges of attempted extortion against the program, a US Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky press release revealed.
Dino Gaudio, 64, reportedly threatened the university on March 17 to continue paying his salary for the next 17 months (or provide the lump sum equivalent) to keep him from reporting alleged NCAA violations by the men’s basketball program.
Gaudio asserted that Louisville broke NCAA rules on recruitment video production and the use of graduate assistants during practice. The charges filed against the ex-coach said that he sent a text message to Louisville personnel containing one of the videos he was planning to share with the media.
Retaliation
Louisville officials released a statement alleging that Gaudio tried to extort the university for money and other valuables after he was told that his contract would not be renewed.
Gaudio had been with the team for three seasons, but head coach Chris Mack decided to replace him and another assistant coach after an underperforming year.
“When he was not renewed, he was hurt, he became angry, and in the course of that he made statements he regrets. Unfortunately, those statements were taped, and he was not given an opportunity to walk them back,” Brian Butler, Gaudio’s attorney, told ESPN.
“Coach Gaudio takes full responsibility for his actions and lack of judgment and the statements he made in a very heated situation,” Butler added.
As for the supposed violations, the university cannot comment due to the ongoing investigation, but it has promised to cooperate with the authorities and the NCAA to reach a conclusion.