Cam Newton Investigation
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This week, rumors have spread that a man who claimed to represent the Tigers’ star was seeking cash payments for his national letter of intent signature. However, this may have happened in Mississippi State, and not at Auburn.
The Cam Newton investigation is now under way, although it might not have spawned if he wasn’t a Heisman favorite. The Auburn quarterback came out of nowhere to lead the Tigers to a No. 2 ranking, and become a Heisman candidate in the meantime. But due to his newfound fame and standing, more dirt is being dug up on him. Thanks to that, Newton is under investigation due to the alleged actions of a potential representative.
The investigation actually centers around former Mississippi State players John Bond and Kenny Rogers. Bond started the rumors by telling ESPN that Rogers contacted him in December 2009 about Newton. Rogers allegedly told him that Mississippi State could get Newton to commit to them for a cash payment of $180,000.
Although Rogers would be the guilty one if these allegations were true, this is being labeled the Cam Newton investigation due to questions on whether Rogers acted alone. Newton’s father Cecil told ESPN that if Rogers did this, he did it without the knowledge of Cam or the family. However, Bond claims that Rogers told him other schools offered up to $200,000 for Newton’s signature.
The timing of these rumors is notable, since they only emerged after the Auburn quarterback became a major star. Yet the investigation may have started months earlier, since Bond said he quickly told Mississippi State’s athletic director about Rogers’ offer, and he then contacted the SEC offices. Cecil Newton also claims that the NCAA asked him for financial statements on his church a month ago.
The NCAA cannot confirm or deny whether they are conducting an investigation, and the SEC said they received “limited information” on the case. Both bodies may have been already working behind the scenes on these rumors, but it will now be harder to do it quietly.
