Ohio State to investigate players' car deals
Official: No known problems with dozens of sales

SATURDAY, MAY 7, 2011 03:07 AM
BY JILL RIEPENHOFF, MIKE WAGNER AND RANDY LUDLOW
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH


http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/05/07/osu-to-investigate-players-car-deals.html?sid=101

Ohio State University's chief enforcer of NCAA rules said yesterday that he will investigate used-car purchases made by dozens of OSU athletes at two Columbus car dealers to see if any sale violated collegiate rules.

The investigation was initiated after The Dispatch found in public records that at least eight Ohio State athletes and 11 athletes' relatives bought used cars from Jack Maxton Chevrolet or Auto Direct during the past five years. The investigation will involve outside experts and examine at least 50 sales, focusing on whether the athletes received improper benefits.

The common thread in those two dozen transactions was the salesman: Aaron Kniffin, who has worked at both dealerships.

"We'll take a step back, we'll take a look at the transactions and the values, and we'll make some determinations in consultation with the (Big Ten) conference office and go from there," said Doug Archie, associate athletic director and head of compliance at OSU.

"I have nothing to believe a violation has occurred," he said.

NCAA rules don't prohibit athletes from shopping at the same stores, eating at the same restaurants or buying cars at the same dealerships. The rules prohibit athletes and their relatives from receiving discounts that are not offered to the general public.

In a joint interview with Archie yesterday, Jack Maxton owner Jeff Mauk and Auto Direct owner Jason Goss both said they never have given athletes special deals.

Mauk estimated that 40 to 50 Buckeyes bought cars from his dealership in the past five or six years .

Archie said that he was aware of all the transactions involving the athletes that The Dispatch found, but he was unaware of purchases made by their relatives.

Both dealers, whose businesses are not connected, say they routinely call Archie's office when an athlete is ready to buy a car, provide the purchase price and discuss who will co-sign on a loan. Archie said he relies on the car dealers to provide accurate information.

"I'm not a car expert. We have to rely on their integrity and their word when it comes to selling a car," he said. Ohio State runs "spot checks" on some transactions against the Kelley Blue Book value.

Archie said that he'd rather one or two dealerships didn't receive all the OSU business. "It's something from a compliance perspective that I would rather not have," he said.

Goss and Kniffin both have attended seven football games as guests of players, including the 2007 national championship and the 2009 Fiesta Bowl. At some point after 2008, Archie barred Kniffin from the players' pass list because OSU rules prohibit athletes from inviting people with whom they do business.

Goss said he received his passes from athletes who never bought cars from him.

Kniffin told The Dispatch that he has sold cars to at least four dozen OSU athletes and their relatives, that the OSU compliance staff directed them to him, and that university officials reviewed all documents before sales were final.

Archie said that he has spoken to Kniffin only once, never reviews sales documents and has not directed players to any dealerships.

All but one athlete and all of the relatives could not be reached for comment or did not respond to requests for comment.

The purchases reviewed by The Dispatch were made when Kniffin worked at Maxton between 2004 and 2009 and then at Auto Direct between 2009 and 2010.

Public records show that in 2009, a 2-year-old Chrysler 300 with less than 20,000 miles was titled to then-sophomore linebacker Thaddeus Gibson. Documents show the purchase price as $0.

Mauk could not explain it. "I don't give cars for free," he said. Gibson said he was unaware the title on his car showed zero as the sales price. "I paid for the car, and I'm still paying for it," he said, declining to answer further questions.

The cars involved sold for the average price of $11,600. Most vehicles were Chevrolets, Buicks or Dodges manufactured between 2000 and 2007. More than half had less than 50,000 miles when sold by Kniffin. Six cars had more than 100,000 miles.

Legally, dealers can sell cars at whatever price they want and are not bound by NCAA rules.

The Dispatch reviewed sales prices from Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicle records of the 24 car transactions. The records detail the year, make, model and mileage.

Officials at two national car-valuation companies - National Automobile Dealers Association and Kelley Blue Book - were asked by The Dispatch to estimate the value of the cars at the time of purchase. The values they estimated were higher than the price paid in nearly half of the transactions. However, they said it's difficult to accurately evaluate the sales without seeing the vehicles to assess condition and options.

"No one can tell you what a car's worth," Goss said.

Goss said that the athletes and relatives found his dealership because he sells good cars at good prices. "I know how to buy cars right," he said, noting that he buys cars and acquires trade-ins at low prices, permitting him to sell cars well below retail.

Two former NCAA enforcement officials, who spoke to The Dispatch on the condition of anonymity, individually said there's cause for concern.

The two collectively have decades of NCAA compliance experience. Neither had ever heard of so many athletes buying cars from the same salesman.

Car ownership among athletes has been a recurring issue at Ohio State dating back to Maurice Clarett in 2003 and extending to the current NCAA investigation of OSU memorabilia sales in which, among other things, one player traded Rose Bowl watches for a vehicle. Four of the six players suspended for selling items for tattoos - or their relatives - also bought cars from the dealers.

The Dispatch began looking at car ownership after Kniffin's name showed up on the players' guest list for three football games in 2007.

By then, Kniffin, who was working for Maxton, had sold cars to football players Gibson, Chris "Beanie" Wells and Maurice Wells while they were still in school. The mothers of both Wells' also bought cars. At the time, Beanie's mom lived in Akron and Maurice's lived in Maryland.

While employed there, Kniffin also sold cars to football players Robert Rose, Doug Worthington and Solomon Thomas. He also sold cars to Kurt Coleman's brother, Robert Rose's father and Ray Small's father.

While at Auto Direct, a used-car dealership at 2300 E. Dublin-Granville Rd., he sold to wide receiver DeVier Posey and basketball player William Buford. Relatives who bought cars from Kniffin include Pryor's mother and brother, Daniel "Boom" Herron's father, basketball player Jon Diebler's parents and Solomon Thomas' father.

Kniffin also loaned cars to quarterback Terrelle Pryor, including his own for a three-day test drive to Pennsylvania, where Pryor lives.

Kniffin, 42, who is now selling cars in an undisclosed state, vividly recalled details of the cars sold. He disputed, however, the sales prices that were listed on state motor-vehicle records.

"The sales price is much more than that," he said. "You are so far away from what the transactions are all about."

Ohio law requires dealers to report accurate information about all car sales for tax purposes. Failure to submit accurate information is a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles Registrar Mike Rankin said the agency would investigate the transactions amid Kniffin's statement that the figures listed on titles were less than the true sale prices. Rankin likewise was puzzled by Gibson's title reflecting a loan but no sales price.

"There are clearly some issues that are problematic. It's worth seeing if there are any dealer improprieties," Rankin said.

Goss disputed Kniffin's assertion that vehicles were sold to OSU players at prices higher than listed on the titles. "Titles reflect sales prices."

Auto Direct's showroom is filled with autographed jerseys from former and current players who have purchased cars from Kniffin.

Goss, who said he is a big Buckeyes fan, said he received no memorabilia from players, who autographed jerseys he had purchased while buying their cars.

Kniffin, who said he is not an OSU fan, has had financial problems since 2006. He now owes more than $130,000 to the IRS, and his $570,000 Delaware County home is in foreclosure.

At least six major athletic programs have faced NCAA sanctions since 1990 because their athletes had free use of cars or received suspect deals on purchases: Arizona State (2005), Illinois (1990 and 2005), Minnesota (2000), Louisville (1996), Michigan State (1996), and Southern California (2010).



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