LAWRENCE, Kan. — Federal prosecutors charged five former University of Kansas employees Thursday with conspiring to steal more than $2 million in tickets to athletic events in a scandal that likely led to the early departure of athletic director Lew Perkins.
Investigators said the conspirators made between $3 million and $5 million in the scheme over five years. Prosecutors singled out former associate athletic director Charlette Blubaugh, who was in charge of the ticket office. They said she began stealing tickets in 2005 and gave them to other key athletic department employees to sell, either personally or through third parties. Blubaugh was charged along with her husband, Thomas Blubaugh, who was a consultant to the ticket office.
Also charged were former assistant athletic director Rodney Jones, former associate athletic director Ben Kirtland and Kassie Liebsch, who was a systems analyst working in the ticket office.
All five are scheduled to appear Dec. 8 in federal court in Wichita.
• Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo‘s newly amended contract gives him a $500,000 raise — increasing his annual compensation to $3.49 million — and use of a private plane for up to 25 hours each year for personal use.
Lee released from hospital
OAKLAND, Calif. — Golden State Warriors forward David Lee was released from a hospital after undergoing a second procedure on his left elbow to treat an infection.
Lee initially had surgery last Friday after he cut the inside of his elbow in a nasty collision with the mouth of New York’s Wilson Chandler, who left a fragment of a tooth in Lee’s arm. Lee will be sidelined at least until early next week.
Jokinen suspended three games
TORONTO — Calgary Flames center Olli Jokinen was suspended for three games without pay by the NHL a day after cross-checking Phoenix’s Wojtek Wolski in the head.
Jokinen received a major for cross-checking and a game misconduct midway through the third period in the Flames’ 3-1 loss to the Coyotes. Jokinen joined an altercation between teammate Niklas Hagman and Wolski and delivered a blow to the back of Wolski’s head.
The suspension will cost Jokinen $48,387 in salary.
• The Edmonton Oilers placed goalie Nikolai Khabibulin (groin) on injured reserve and recalled Martin Gerber from the minors.
• The Los Angeles Kings put left wing Scott Parse on injured reserve before he undergoes hip surgery next week.
• Tampa Bay Lightning forward Mattias Ritola has been suspended two games without pay for hitting Matt Moulson of the New York Islanders from behind Wednesday. Ritola will forfeit $5,555.92 in salary.
Footnotes.
PGA Tour winner Matt Bettencourt shot an 8-under- par 64 at Del Monte to take a two-stroke lead in the Pebble Beach (Calif.) Invitational.
• Pop Warner, the nation’s oldest and largest youth football organization, is requiring a note from a doctor before letting anyone who’s suffered a head injury back on the field.
The Associated Press
