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Feds: Basketball coach bribed by indicted Florida man

Published Jul. 21, 2018 2:45 p.m. ET

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MIAMI (AP) Federal authorities say a Florida businessman already charged with orchestrating a massive Medicare fraud scheme bribed a former university basketball coach to help get his son admitted to an Ivy League university.

Prosecutors allege the payments were intended to help the son of nursing home owner Philip Esformes, who is accused of filing false Medicare and Medicaid claims. The Miami Herald initially reported the new charges.

Howard Srebnick, an attorney for Esformes, said his client will plead not guilty.

The indictment released Friday did not name the university or coach. But Srebnick said prosecutors disclosed in court that assistant Celtics coach Jerome Allen received the payments while he was head coach at University of Pennsylvania. Allen has not been charged.

Both the Celtics and the university declined to comment Saturday.

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