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Louisville: Pitino knew schools were offering money to 5-star recruit

Thomas Joseph-USA TODAY Sports / Reuters

Ex-Louisville coach Rick Pitino knew other schools were offering money to coveted five-star recruit Brian Bowen as early as 2015, according to court documents accessed by WRDB.com's Jason Riley.

"DePaul trying to pay Bowen 200 K to come there," Pitino texted his former assistant coach Kenny Johnson, according to documents Louisville filed in its lawsuit against Pitino. "Crazy world."

Pitino and Louisville have each filed lawsuits against the other over his firing in October after the program was connected to the FBI's investigation into corruption in college basketball. The investigation alleges that Louisville ensured a $100,000 payment, funneled mostly through Adidas, went to the family of an unidentified player in order to get him to sign with the Cardinals. That player is thought to be Bowen, who committed to Louisville in June 2017.

The school says Pitino worked for years with since-indicted agent Christian Dawkins to bring Bowen to the Cardinals but didn't tell the school's compliance office, as required. He also didn't inform the school that Dawkins and Bowen visited campus.

Pitino was allegedly aware of "red flags" surrounding Dawkins and an Adidas executive in their efforts to recruit Bowen, according to the University of Louisville, but decided not to tell the school about those concerns.

Bowen was suspended prior to appearing in a game with the school.

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