Allegations: Sean Spence
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Nevin Shapiro on Spence: Play audio
Miami booster Nevin Shapiro alleges he provided multiple extra benefits to Sean Spence during his career with the Hurricanes. Among the benefits he claimed to have provided:
- Sean Spence
Position: Linebacker
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Rivals recruiting rank: Ranked as the No. 133 player overall in the Class of 2008.
Miami career: An impact player as a freshman and three-year starter for the Hurricanes who is one of the best outside linebackers in the country. Already on the radar of NFL scouting departments, Spence has a chance to elevate himself into the first round with a strong senior season.
• A dinner at Japanese steakhouse Benihana in 2008 which was attended by several Miami players.
• A strip club visit to The Cheetah in 2008.
• Food, drinks and entertainment at Lucky Strike Lanes including a "bowling for dollars" tournament over a weekend in September 2008.
• Food, drinks and entertainment at Shapiro's $6 million mansion in Miami Beach.
Corroborating accounts
• One source corroborated Spence and other Miami players receiving a dinner at Benihana and a strip club visit to The Cheetah in 2008 which was paid by Shapiro.
• Yahoo! Sports acquired Shapiro's September 2008 American Express black card and American Express Platinum card statements showing three charges totaling $2,114.18 from Sept. 13 to Sept. 15 at Lucky Strike Lanes. This is where the booster held his "bowling for dollars" events.
In Shapiro's words
• "Sean Spence was one of the regular guys at my house. [He] came in same time as Marcus Forston and his teammate, Jacory Harris. Met him at Benihana for the first time at a dinner I've mentioned already. From there we went to The Cheetah. I also gave him money during some of our bowling outings."
These pages from Nevin Shapiro's September 2008 American Express black card and American Express Platinum card statements show three charges totaling $2,114.18 from Sept. 13 to Sept. 15, for a series of "bowling for dollars" events with Miami football players at the upscale Lucky Strike Lanes. The tab covered drinks, food and bowling, and the charges on Sept. 15 were for a bill spanning the evening of the 14th and the early morning of the 15th. Shapiro said he held the tournaments, which paid cash to winning teams, in the off week between road games against Florida and Texas A&M. He said multiple players were in attendance, including Marcus Forston, Sean Spence, Aldarius Johnson, Randy Phillips, Travis Benjamin and JoJo Nicolas. PDF file
Did not return messages left on his phone and Facebook page.
