Con man's allegations rock U. Miami sports

The University of Miami has traditionally had one of the best college football programs in the nation. The Hurricanes have won five national titles and served as a feeder pipe to the NFL. But that legacy may be in danger tonight with allegations that dozens of players took money and gifts from one of the program's top fundraisers.

At the center of the allegations is Nevin Shapiro, a convicted Ponzi schemer who claims to have showered more than 70 University of Miami football and basketball players with gifts and money for eight years.

In a phone interview from his prison cell, Shapiro told CBS Station WFOR that he bankrolled liquor-fueled sex parties for the school's top athletes.

"Why would anyone believe me? Because I got over a thousand of pictures to make them believe me," Shapiro said, "and ten years of bank statements and checks and credit card statements."

"He was there allegedly eight seasons, eight years - it's unbelievable," said Alfred Spellman, a UM graduate who spent a year making a documentary about the school's football program.

"It's the old story of Miami: As long as the champagne flows and the checks clear, no one asks you where your money came from," Spellman said. "We are a sunny place for shady people down here."

The NCAA started looking into Shapiro's allegations five months ago, interviewing players and newly-hired coach Al Golden.

"How did he get around our players players? For me as head coach I want to know," Golden said.

Not only is the future of Miami's football program at stake, but the president of the NCAA has spoken about taking a harder line enforcing violations of rules that prohibit gifts to athletes and the influence of boosters at schools across the nation.

"Some good's going to come out of it," said Alonzo Highsmith, a star running back for Miami in the '80s.

His son is the sophomore quarterback on this year's team.

"I told my son, always remember what you were there for - to get your education. You went there to be a football player second," Highsmith said. "The sad part is you go there and you're working every summer and your goal is to play in a national championship, play in a bowl game. And I don't know what will happen, but that might be taken away from them."

If the claims of a jailed con man are found true. the NCAA could impose the harshest of sanctions, known as the "death penalty," which would cancel Miami's football for a season, or more.