Auburn Basketball

Former Auburn Tigers men's basketball assistant coach Chuck Person has pled guilty to a bribery conspiracy charge, according to the Associated Press (via ESPN). 

"Yes, ma'am," Person responded when asked by Judge Loretta Preska if he was guilty, per the New York Post's Kenneth Garger and Andrew Denney.

Person was scheduled to go to trial in June for his role in the college basketball corruption scandal but will instead have a sentencing hearing July 9.

The 54-year-old had previously pleaded not guilty to six felony charges that included bribery, solicitation of bribes, wire fraud and travel act conspiracy. However, ESPN's Mark Schlabach reported last Friday that the ex-coach had decided to change his plea.

Person is being accused of accepting $91,500 in bribes in exchange for leading NBA-caliber players to sign with certain financial advisors. He also allegedly helped facilitate thousands of dollars, $11,000 in one case, to players' families.

Garger and Denney noted Person faces 24 to 30 months in prison and will be required to forfeit his profits. 

Person served as an assistant at Auburn from 2014 to 2017 before being fired following his indictment in November 2017. He also spent 14 years in the NBA as a player and more than a decade as an assistant coach around the league.

Former Auburn Tigers basketball assistant coach Chuck Person changed his mind and will plead guilty to accepting bribes in exchange for leading players to sign with certain business partners when they turned pro, according to ESPN's Mark Schlabach.

Person had previously pleaded not guilty to six felony charges that included bribery, solicitation of bribes, wire fraud and travel act conspiracy.

Person will reportedly plead guilty to one count of conspiracy, with a plea deal expected to be similar to other assistant coaches caught up in college basketball corruption scandals. Schlabach notes that the recommended sentence for Person is expected to be 24 to 30 months in prison.

The 54-year-old, who served as an Auburn assistant from 2014 to 2017, is alleged to have accepted at least $91,500 from a financial adviser who was a cooperating witness for the FBI. He also allegedly helped funnel money to multiple players' families, with totals of $11,000 and $7,500 involved.

According to the Orlando Sentinel's Larry Neumeister, Person was quoted by prosecutors as telling one player, "The most important part is that you...don't say nothing to anybody...don't share with your sisters, don't share with any of the teammates, that's very important 'cause this is a violation...of rules. But this is how the NBA players get it done."

Person was scheduled to go to trial in June. He will instead have a hearing on Tuesday in New York.

Person spent 14 years in the NBA as a player and spent more than a decade as an assistant coach in the Association before arriving at Auburn in 2014.

Auburn has suspended assistant basketball coach Ira Bowman indefinitely due to his alleged involvement with a bribery scandal during his time at Penn, according to Brandon Marcello of 247Sports. 

"As we continue to gather information regarding a situation that recently arose, it is important that we be thorough and proactive, yet prudent and cautious," Auburn athletics said in a statement Wednesday. "Therefore, Ira Bowman will not coach or participate in any responsibilities with the men’s basketball program until we fully assess all the issues."

Auburn is set to begin its run in the SEC tournament Thursday, but Bowman will not be on the bench.

The decision follows the testimony of former Penn head coach Jerome Allen, who admitted that he took about $300,000 in bribes to help a Florida businessman get his son into the school using a priority basketball slot, according to Mike Jensen of Philly.com.

The former coach also said that Bowman had been made aware of the scheme and became more involved after Allen was let go.

Bowman remained with the Quakers until he was hired by the Tigers last summer.

"We are aware of the reports that are out there and currently were and our administration are gathering facts, and until we know more it would be premature for me to comment further, so therefore I will not be answering questions regarding this," head coach Bruce Pearl said of the situation Tuesday.

Although Auburn has not been implicated in this scandal, it is more negative news for its coaching staff after former assistant Chuck Person was arrested for allegedly taking bribes from a financial adviser.