Auburn under investigation again

Student loan kickbacks inquiry widens
Athletics departments, including Auburn’s, receive subpoenas

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is now investigating whether top college athletics departments nationwide — including those at Auburn University, Ohio University and Texas Christian University — steered athletes and other students to education lenders in exchange for kickbacks.

Cuomo said Wednesday that he served 39 universities with subpoenas and requests for documents about deals between athletics departments and Student Financial Services Inc., which operates as University Financial Services. He said he is studying how team names, mascots and colors were used to suggest the company was the college’s preferred lender.

“Students trust their university’s athletics departments because so much of campus life at Division I schools centers around supporting the home team,” said Cuomo. “To betray this trust by promoting loans in exchange for money is a serious issue, especially when Division I schools already generate tremendous revenue from their student athletes.”