Rick Pitino : Latest allegations 'come as a complete shock to me'
Rick Pitino
U of L basketball coach   Rick Pitino   looks on during a U of L press conference in response to the NCAA's penalties on the men's basketball program. June 15  2017 (Photo: Alton Strupp/The Courier-Journal)
Louisville  men's basketball coach Rick Pitino  issued  his  first public response to the FBI and U.S. attorney's announcement Tuesday that it made arrests and filed charges in a wide-ranging fraud and money laundering investigation into college basketball recruiting.
"These allegations come as a complete shock to me  " Pitino  said in a statement released by  his  lawyer  Steve Pence. "If true  I agree with the U.S. Attorney's Office that these third-party schemes  initiated by a few bad actors  operated to commit a fraud on the impacted universities and their basketball programs  including the University of Louisville. Our fans and supporters deserve better and I am committed to taking whatever steps are needed to ensure those responsible are held accountable."
Asked in an interview if he expects  Pitino  will keep his job  Pence said: "I would certainly think so. I don't know why it would be otherwise."
More on this:  Rick Pitino 's University of Louisville tenure marked by highs  off-court lows
U of L basketball coach    [TGT] looks on during a U of L press conference in response to the NCAA's penalties on the men's basketball program. June 15  2017 (Photo: Alton Strupp/The Courier-Journal)
Louisville   [TGT] issued   [TGT]   first public response to the FBI and U.S. attorney's announcement Tuesday that it made arrests and filed charges in a wide-ranging fraud and money laundering investigation into college basketball recruiting.
"These allegations come as a complete shock to me  "  [TGT] said in a statement released by   [TGT]   lawyer  Steve Pence. "If true  I agree with the U.S. Attorney's Office that these third-party schemes  initiated by a few bad actors  operated to commit a fraud on the impacted universities and their basketball programs  including the University of Louisville. Our fans and supporters deserve better and I am committed to taking whatever steps are needed to ensure those responsible are held accountable."
Asked in an interview if he expects  Pitino  will keep his job  Pence said: "I would certainly think so. I don't know why it would be otherwise."
More on this:  Rick Pitino 's University of Louisville tenure marked by highs  off-court lows