Former Michigan State great Jay Vincent could be jailed today
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Former Michigan State great Jay Vincent could be jailed today
Published: Thursday, July 28, 2011, 12:28 PM Updated: Thursday, July 28, 2011, 12:34 PM
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By **John Agar | The Grand Rapids Press **MLive.com
Lansing State JournalJay Vincent
GRAND RAPIDS – Jay Vincent, the former MSU star who played in the NBA, could be locked up today after federal prosecutors alleged he may have defrauded participants in a basketball operation while awaiting sentencing for fraud.
The government also believes that Vincent, linked to a $2 million Internet scheme, had been writing – or caused another to write – non-sufficient fund checks as part of a continuing scheme, court records said.
A hearing is set at 2 p.m. in U.S. District Court. The government has asked U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph Scoville to revoke Vincent’s bond pending his Sept. 2 sentencing.
Vincent, a former Michigan State basketball great who teamed with Magic Johnson to win the 1979 National Championship, told the Lansing State Journal that someone else is responsible for the bad checks.
He told the newspaper that he sold the basketball team tryout business that is at the center of the latest allegations.
“It will be proof without a shadow of a doubt,” Vincent told the newspaper.
It said Vincent and Anthony Portee defrauded more than 20,000 people who believed they would be hired as inspectors in a foreclosed-home inspection company, the newspaper said. Applicants paid $89 for background checks, but were not hired, the newspaper reported.
The latest allegations say Vincent bought advertising to promote basketball tryouts by USA Probasketball Company. One of the prospective players said Vincent told him he was recruiting players for semi-pro teams that would be sold to sponsors.
The player told authorities that he paid Vincent $85 for the tryout, then was told he would have to pay $275.
The government said that last month, Vincent sent a letter that he had sold his basketball business to Brian James nearly two years ago. The government appeared to question the existence of Brian James, who, Vincent told investigators, was responsible for writing the checks.
E-mail John Agar: [email protected]
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