Feds Investigating Minnesota

The University of Minnesota has been subpoenaed to provide information about academic fraud in the men's basketball program and former star Bobby Jackson's eligibility and courses.

The university was ordered to appear Tuesday at the U.S. courthouse in Minneapolis with documentation about academic fraud.

U.S. Attorney B. Todd Jones confirmed an "ongoing investigation" but would not give details Friday. Subpoenas are secret unless recipients publicize them. Prosecutors seek subpoenas when they determine probable cause exists.

One of the university's two subpoenas, dated April 6, asked for all documents given to the law firm that conducted the university's investigation.

The other subpoena asked for information about whether Jackson was eligible when he transferred from Western Nebraska Community College and information about two correspondence courses he took at Minnesota.

Jackson now plays for the Minnesota Timberwolves. He could not be reached immediately in Vancouver, where the Timberwolves were to play the Grizzlies on Friday night.

University lawyer Mark Rotenberg said the university plans to cooperate fully. But he criticized federal prosecutors for pursuing the case.

"We're of the view that this is an unusual step," Rotenberg said. "The university has publicly stated before that academic misconduct is an academic matter."

Jackson may have mailed coursework in two history classes to a university instructor. College of Liberal Arts spokeswoman Eugenia Smith said she didn't know whether Jackson took the classes while enrolled at the university or before transferring from Western Nebraska. Anyone is eligible for a "distance education" course, Smith said.

The subpoena asks for information about academic fraud from 1990 until now.

Ron Zamansky, lawyer for former head coach Clem Haskins, did not immediately return a call asking whether Haskins had also received a subpoena. Jan Gangelhoff, a former tutor who admitted she wrote papers for players, was not subpoenaed, said her lawyer, Jim Lord.

Rotenberg also said university officials told Haskins they might sue him to recover at least some of the $1.5 million contract buyout he received last year.

The university started a seven-month investigation last year when allegations surfaced of academic cheating in the program. A 1,000-page report concluded 34 of 50 allegations were true.

Twenty-eight of those involved at least one violation of NCAA rules during nearly a decade when Haskins was the coach. The report concluded Haskins knew about the fraud, lied to investigators and told his players o lie after the wrongdoing was exposed. Haskins has denied wrongdoing.

This week, the university announced it would eliminate six scholarships, pay back money to the NCAA and reduce recruiting as part of self-imposed sanctions on its basketball program. It earlier banned the team from postseason play for one year and put itself on indefinite probation.

The school still faces possible NCAA sanctions. Tonya Moten Brown, the university's vice president for administration, said she informed the NCAA of the subpoenas but doesn't expect them to affect the pace of the NCAA's investigation.

It is rare for a public university to face a criminal investigation when academic misconduct is involved.

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