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Press Release

Former University Of Louisville Coach Pleads Guilty To Extortion

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Kentucky

LOUISVILLE, KY – A North Carolina man pleaded guilty today to making an interstate communication with intent to extort. 

According to court documents, Dino J. Gaudio, 64, of Mooresville, North Carolina, was arraigned and pleaded guilty to sending a text message through interstate commerce as part of an attempt to extort the University of Louisville men’s basketball program. 

During the plea hearing in federal court, Gaudio admitted that on March 17, 2021, after he was informed that his employment contract with the University of Louisville would not be renewed, he threatened to report to the media that the University of Louisville men’s basketball program had allegedly violated National College Athletic Association rules in its production of recruiting videos for prospective student-athletes and in its use of graduate assistants in practices, unless he was paid his salary of $25,000 a month for an additional 17 months, or received a lump sum payment of $425,000.  Later the same day, as a continuation of this threat, Gaudio sent a text message to University of Louisville personnel containing one of the recruiting videos he was threatening to send to the media.

The crime Gaudio pleaded guilty to carries a maximum sentence of two years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.  Gaudio is scheduled to be sentenced on August 27th at 1:30 p.m.   

Acting U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Louisville Field Office James Robert Brown, Jr. made the announcement.

The FBI and the University of Louisville Police Department are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda E. Gregory is prosecuting the case.

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Updated June 4, 2021