Officials from an MSU athletics booster club have confirmed the Michigan Lottery Commission is reviewing the club’s finances for alleged malfeasances.
President of the Downtown Coaches Club Norm Harris said the Lottery Commission is conducting an investigation of the group, but he said it would be in the club’s best interest not to comment any further until the investigation is complete.
According to the Lansing-based NBC affiliate, WILX-TV Channel 10, five checks were made out by the club to board members for various expenses and credit card charges were made to purchase tickets. One charge was for almost $20,000 and went toward season tickets for MSU athletics events and another charge was made for more than $3,000 for Lansing Lugnuts season tickets, the station reported.
The Downtown Coaches Club is a third-party booster organization that raises money to support the athletics department. The group’s most notable fundraiser is its 50/50 raffle at the halftime of MSU’s home football games.
According to the group’s website, it gave out more than $69,000 in cash prizes for an average of more than $11,600 per game for raffle winners. Airfare packages were given to the runner-up for each of the six drawings.
As a result of the allegations, the athletics department has suspended all activity until the investigation is complete, Athletics Director Mark Hollis said last week in an email.
Hollis said the athletics department will assist the Michigan Lottery Commission in any way possible and also will reconsider working with outside groups such as the Downtown Coaches Club in the future.
“While there are issues that I found concerning, I do not believe the organization was engaged in widespread abuse,” Hollis said. “We will continue to review our relationship with these third-party booster groups because protecting all of our fans and supporters is our ultimate goal.”
Andi Brancato, spokeswoman for the Michigan Lottery Commission, was unable to be reached for comment Sunday.
Harris deferred all additional comments to the club’s legal representation, Norman Gaffney.
Gaffney said the club has been complying with the Michigan Lottery Commission and therefore it would not be appropriate to discuss any of the records in question publicly.
But Gaffney said he hopes the commission will conclude its investigation by next week so the club can handle the situation and move on.
“(The Downtown Coaches Club is a) good club and has done a lot of great things,” he said.
“We’ve got some things to straighten out, and we’ve done that.”
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