SBNation.com - Former Fiesta Bowl Official Pleads Guilty Over Campaign Contributionshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46737/sbn-fave.png2012-02-21T16:38:22-05:00http://www.sbnation.com/rss/stream/17581392012-02-21T16:38:22-05:002012-02-21T16:38:22-05:00Former Fiesta Bowl Executive Enters Guilty Plea Over 'Apparent Scheme'
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<p>John Junker, the former top executive of the Fiesta Bowl, <a target="_blank" href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/football/ncaa/wires/02/21/2080.ap.fbc.fiesta.bowl.charges.3rd.ld.writethru.0659/index.html">pleaded guilty Tuesday</a> to a felony charge over allegations stemming from a political donations scandal.</p>
<p>Junker entered his plea over soliciting political contributions from Fiesta Bowl employees. The bowl later reimbursed employees for about $48,000 over a nine-year period.</p>
<p>Junker was fired last year by the Fiesta Bowl and chief operating officer Natalie Wisneski also resigned.</p>
<p>According to a 276-page bowl investigation report, Junker was found to be the head of an "apparent scheme'' to reimburse at least $46,539 of employees' political contributions. The report also mentioned lavish spending by Junker with bowl money.</p>
<p>A state felony, the crime that Junker pled guilty to carries a presumptive 2 1/2-year sentence. However he is also eligible for probation or a judge could reject the deal and have discretion at sentencing.</p>
<p>Wisneski has pleaded not guilty in regard to her involvement in the scandal.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2012/2/21/2814943/fiesta-bowl-executive-junker-guilty-johnSean Keeley2012-02-20T10:01:09-05:002012-02-20T10:01:09-05:00Fiesta Bowl Fiesta Finally Back On!
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<p>Now that <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/football/ncaa/02/19/fiesta.bowl.charges.ap/index.html?sct=cf_t2_a3">John Junker's agreed to a felony plea deal</a> in the great Fiesta Bowl scandal, the rest of the bowl's committee can get back to partying, right? Fiesta! Forever!</p>↵<p><iframe frameborder="0" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/XTrCDZgdD80" height="233" width="300"></iframe></p>
https://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2012/2/20/2811599/fiesta-bowl-fiesta-finally-back-onJason Kirk2011-11-16T19:51:44-05:002011-11-16T19:51:44-05:00Former Fiesta Bowl Official Indicted Over Contributions, Tax Returns
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<p>A former Fiesta Bowl officer has been indicted for making campaign contributions in someone else's name and filing false tax returns, among other counts announced Wednesday by the U.S. attorney's office.</p>
<p>Natalie Wisneski, the former chief operating officer of the Fiesta Bowl, was also indicted by a federal grand jury for causing false statements to be made to the Federal Elections Commission and for conspiracy.</p>
<p>The nine-count indictment was returned Tuesday and comes eight months after a task force uncovered evidence of serious infractions committed by the Fiesta Bowl.</p>
<p>The scandal cost longtime executive director John Junker his job and prompted the Bowl Championship Series to fine the Fiesta Bowl $1 million, though it was allowed to remain in the BCS and keeps its NCAA license.</p>
<p>Wisneski, 47, is alleged to have used her high-paying job to solicit campaign contributions from bowl employees for federal, state and local candidates and then arranging to reimburse the employees with Fiesta Bowl money.</p>
<p>The indictment says Wisneski, who also lost her job because of the scandal, filed false tax returns after denying that the Fiesta Bowl had any lobbying expenses or political expenditures.</p>
<p>She is the first Fiesta Bowl official to be charged and will be summoned to appear for arraignment on November 30.</p>
<p><i>For local perspective on the Fiesta Bowl mess, visit <a href="http://arizona.sbnation.com/2011/5/11/2166017/fiesta-bowl-stays-in-bcs-glendale-dodges-another-bullet" target="_blank">SB Nation Arizona</a>. </i></p>
https://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2011/11/16/2567655/fiesta-bowl-official-indicted-campaign-contributions-tax-returnsSean Keeley2011-06-30T18:50:09-04:002011-06-30T18:50:09-04:00Fiesta Bowl Asks Politicians To Explain Free Trips, Tickets
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<p>The Fiesta Bowl barely made it out of the scandal caused by former CEO John Junker with its BCS affiliation intact. However, some Arizona politicians who received free trips or game tickets from the tax-exempt group <a target="_blank" href="http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=ap-fiestatroubles">still have questions to answer for.</a></p>
<p>The bowl has sent a letter of its efforts to Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett and Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery. Montgomery is investigating whether or not some lawmakers illegally received game tickets or gifts.</p>
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<p><i>In the letter to Bennett, bowl attorney Nathan Hochman said the bowl is asking the politicians to document their participation "so that the Fiesta Bowl may have all salient information in determining which benefits, if any, were not in furtherance of the bowl’s tax-exempt purpose and therefore require reimbursement from the elected officials."</i></p>
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<p>That list includes State Senate President Russell Pearce (received more than $39,000 in tickets, trips and other freebies), former Republican lawmaker Robert Blendu ($17,213 in freebies), and State Sen. Linda Lopez ($16,877).</p>
<p>Pearce allegedly went on Fiesta Bowl-sponsored VIP trips to other games in Denver, San Francisco, Chicago, Atlanta, Pasadena, Boston and Dallas.</p>
<p>Bowl lawyer Nathan Hochman explained in an interview with the AP that the main purpose of the letters is to comply with tax laws. The bowl maintains tax-exempt status.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2011/6/30/2253248/fiesta-bowl-ncaa-investigation-news-update-tickets-trips-politiciansSean Keeley2011-06-16T21:20:50-04:002011-06-16T21:20:50-04:00Fiesta Bowl Hires Robert Shelton As New Executive Director
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<p>The Fiesta Bowl <a target="_blank" href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/football/ncaa/06/15/fiesta.bowl.robert.shelton.ap/index.html?eref=twitter_feed">announced on Wednesday its new executive director</a>, University of Arizona President Robert Shelton. The previous leader, <a target="_blank" href="http://sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2011/3/29/2079118/fiesta-bowl-john-junker-fired-strip-clubs-college-football">John Junker, was fired earlier in the year</a> after it was discovered that he used bowl money in inappropriate manners, including political donations.</p>
<p>Shelton will have a tough job ahead of him when he attempts to rebuild the Fiesta Bowl's reputation. Though it is still a BCS Bowl game, there will likely be a stigma on the bowl for some time to come after the corruption of the previous regime was uncovered.</p>
<p>However, Shelton's contract avoids the perks that Junker received in his. Instead, Shelton's four-year contract provides him with $455,000 per year and "job performance incentives." When asked about the need for a playoff system in the college game, Shelton came out as a big supporter of the current setup since playoffs would interfere with academics.</p>
<p>Our <a target="_blank" href="http://www.azdesertswarm.com/2011/6/15/2225321/robert-shelton-leaves-arizona-for-fiesta-bowl">Arizona Wildcats blog, AZ Desert Swam</a>, expresses trepidation over this move:</p>
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<p>Because he was so sports savvy -- Shelton was a member of the BCS presidential oversight committee -- the loss could be a hit to a sports department looking to make vast improvements to its facilities. [...] It [the search for a new president] comes at a scary and critical time for the athletic department. All the Wildcats can ask for is an equally understanding president who understands that sports aren't just a game. They're an attention magnet and a money-maker.</p>
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<p>The search is expected to take a year while an interim president serves during the interregnum.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2011/6/16/2228111/fiesta-bowl-robert-shelton-bcsRuss Oates2011-05-26T14:56:52-04:002011-05-26T14:56:52-04:00Everybody Loves Money. That's Why They Call It Money
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<p>Hopelessly corrupt Fiesta Bowl officials: “Heeeeey, politicians we <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2011/2/14/1994098/fiesta-bowl-investigation-john-junker-political-contributions-irs" target="_blank">cozied up to inappropriately</a> throughout our tenure, can we have our ill-advised campaign contributions back?"</p>↵<p>Senator John Kyl of Arizona: <a target="new" href="http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/signup/Article_2011-05-24-FBC-Fiesta-Troubles/id-2c5a07fa82ec4f41bb7f1a0747aeebb3">“<span class="caps">LOL</span> no.”</a></p>
https://www.sbnation.com/2011/5/26/2191934/everybody-loves-money-thats-why-they-call-it-moneyHolly Anderson2011-05-19T08:01:21-04:002011-05-19T08:01:21-04:00Fiesta Bowl Receives Probationary License Back From NCAA
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<p>The Fiesta Bowl has been dodging bullets left and right this offseason and has survived the storm relatively scot-free. On Wednesday, the NCAA granted the Fiesta Bowl's license for 2012, though it did come with a probationary period. If bowl officials stay out of trouble and complete the requirements set forth, the Fiesta Bowl should live to fight another day.</p>
<p>The ruling, handed down for both the Fiesta and Insight Bowls, requires officials to meet with the NCAA Bowl Licensing Subcommittee in 2012 to present its progress report and detail the management changes put in place in the aftermath of this year's investigation. While the committee was troubled by the allegations, it was <a href="http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/public/ncaa/resources/latest+news/2011/may/bowl+panel+reaffirms+fiesta+license+with+probation" target="_blank">comfortable enough with the plan Fiesta Bowl officials presented to re-license it for this coming season</a>.</p>
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<p>"The subcommittee was greatly concerned with the apparent lack of oversight and integrity associated with previous Fiesta Bowl management," said Carparelli. "Considering the business model changes and new direction of the bowl, along with the actions from the BCS, the subcommittee felt comfortable with reaffirming the Fiesta and Insight licenses on a probationary status."</p>
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<p>After all the investigations and allegations, the Fiesta Bowl is back and ready to rumble again as part of the BCS, as long as officials keep their noses clean while on probation.</p>
<p><i>For more local perspective on the bowl's future, visit <a target="_blank" href="http://arizona.sbnation.com/2011/5/11/2166017/fiesta-bowl-stays-in-bcs-glendale-dodges-another-bullet">SB Nation Arizona</a>. <br></i></p>
https://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2011/5/19/2178982/fiesta-bowl-investigation-license-ncaa-probationBrian Floyd2011-05-13T12:59:28-04:002011-05-13T12:59:28-04:00Fiesta Bowl Investigation Update: Arizona Politicians May Face Ethics Charges
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<p>Fiesta Bowl organizers may not be the only ones getting slapped around in the legal system by the time the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2011/2/14/1994098/fiesta-bowl-investigation-john-junker-political-contributions-irs" target="_blank">never-ending investigation</a> into the game's <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2011/3/29/2079118/fiesta-bowl-john-junker-fired-strip-clubs-college-football" target="_blank">bottomless well of corruption</a> wraps up. As much trouble as bowl officials are in for cozying up to local politicians in exchange for favors, it's easy work to forget those receiving end of the cozying. No more, via the <a href="http://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2011/05/12/gould-bowl-gifts-awaits-criminal-probe/" target="_blank">Associated Press</a>:</p>
<blockquote>An Arizona Senate Ethics Committee review found some lawmakers may have violated state law by improperly accepting free football game tickets from the Fiesta Bowl, Chairman Ron Gould said Thursday.
<p>However, Gould told The Associated Press that he is temporarily refraining from taking further action because he doesn’t want to taint a criminal investigation being conducted by Maricopa County prosecutors.</p>
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<p>The <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.azcentral.com%2Fnews%2Farticles%2F2011%2F05%2F13%2F20110513fiesta-bowl-gifts-scandal-pearce-arredondo.html&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sbnation.com%2Fncaa-football%2F2011%2F5%2F13%2F2169466%2Ffiesta-bowl-investigation-update-arizona-politicians-ethics-charges" target="_blank" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener">Arizona Republic</a> points to two politicos (one Democrat, one Reublican) who appear to have had the most fingers in the Frito* pie: Tempe city councilman Ben Arredondo and state senator Russell Pearce. If their actions turn out to fall within the upper echelons of Arizona's conflict-of-interest law, the two could potentially face felony charges.</p>
<p><i> *Individuals (and individual bags) of Tostitos are not currently under investigation, as far as we know. Yet! Haha! For more local perspective on the bowl's future, visit <a href="http://arizona.sbnation.com/2011/5/11/2166017/fiesta-bowl-stays-in-bcs-glendale-dodges-another-bullet" target="_blank">SB Nation Arizona</a>. </i></p>
https://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2011/5/13/2169466/fiesta-bowl-investigation-update-arizona-politicians-ethics-chargesHolly Anderson