Adam Rittenberg, ESPN
An attorney for former Iowa State players charged with illegal sports wagering has accused the state of launching a “warrantless” investigation in 2023 that targeted Iowa State and University of Iowa athletes “without reasonable cause,” resulting in some to lose their remaining NCAA eligibility.
In a motion filed Monday, attorney Van Plumb, who represents former Iowa State football players Isaiah Lee and others charged in the sports wagering probe, cited recent depositions with agents from Iowa’s Division of Criminal Investigation that outline how the inquiry began. Fifteen Iowa State and Iowa athletes, mainly football players, were charged last summer, primarily for making sports wagers on FanDuel or DraftKings under another person’s account. Several of the athletes have pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of underage gambling.
The motion states that Brian Sanger, special agent for Iowa’s Division of Criminal Investigation, obtained access to a software tool called Kibana that allowed him to view the use of online betting applications in certain facilities through a “GeoFence.” Sanger allegedly first used the software to assess underage gambling at a freshman/sophomore dormitory at the University of Iowa, but eventually was told he could not pursue the inquiry.
Only after Sanger allegedly used the same software to place a GeoFence around an Iowa athletic facility, restricted to athletes, coaches and staff, did he receive “the green light to continue the investigation,” the motion states.
Rest is here…
