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Pitino: 'Schemes initiated by a few bad actors'

Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports / Action Images

Louisville head basketball coach Rick Pitino reacted Tuesday night to the FBI investigation that has so far resulted in the arrests of four NCAA assistants and now targets his university.

"These allegations come as a complete shock to me," Pitino said in a statement released through his attorney. "If true, I agree with the U.S. Attorneys Office that these third-party schemes, initiated by a few bad actors, operated to commit a fraud on the impacted universities and their basketball programs, including the University of Louisville."

Louisville earlier confirmed it is under investigation, saying the school will "cooperate fully with any law enforcement or NCAA investigation into the matter."

Related: NCAA president says bribery allegations suggest 'despicable breach of trust'

Outside of the arrests of coaches at USC, Auburn, Oklahoma State, and Arizona, additional criminal complaints filed in court Tuesday didn't name schools directly but contained details that identified them as Louisville and the University of Miami.

In Louisville's case, the investigation targets a player who committed to the Cardinals on June 3 of this year, and alleges an Adidas executive conspired to pay him $100,000. The only player to commit to Louisville on the said date is five-star incoming freshman Brian Bowen.

"I don't know anything about that," Bowen's mother told the Louisville Courier-Journal. "I'm not aware of anything like that."

Either way, the fiasco is another blow to Pitino's image and program. The 65-year-old coach is already facing a five-game suspension this coming season over a sex scandal in which escorts were provided to players and recruits.

That investigation could result in the vacating of Louisville's 2013 national championship. Pitino denied knowledge of that scandal as well.

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