Allegations: Bryce Brown
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Nevin Shapiro on Brown: Play audio
Miami booster Nevin Shapiro alleges he provided extra benefits to Bryce Brown and his family, and also had improper recruiting contact with the player. Among the benefits he claimed to have provided:
- Bryce Brown
Position: Running back
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Rivals recruiting rank: Ranked as the No. 1 player overall in the Class of 2009.
Miami career: None. After initially committing to the Hurricanes, Brown ultimately signed with Tennessee and has since transferred to Kansas State.
• A lunch at Smith & Wollensky on March 30, 2008, totaling $532 for Bryce Brown – who was being recruited heavily by the Hurricanes – Brown's older brother Arthur Brown, Brown's parents, family adviser Brian Butler and Randy Phillips.
• Two rooms at the Continental Oceanfront Hotel in late March 2008 for Bryce Brown, his parents, and family adviser Brian Butler. The bills totaled $1,110.19.
Corroborating accounts
• Yahoo! Sports acquired credit card records in Shapiro's name and hotel bills showing two rooms at the Continental Oceanfront Hotel totaling $1,110.19. The hotel bills were paid on Shapiro's American Express black card and listed "Arthur Brown" and "Brian Butler" on the bills for each room.
• Yahoo! Sports acquired credit card records from Shapiro's American Express black card, showing a $532 charge at Smith & Wollensky on March 30, 2008. The charge overlaps with the dates on hotel bills listed in Arthur Brown (Sr.) and Brian Butler's names.
In Shapiro's words
• "I met with [him] one time. That was March 2008. He was on a [unofficial] visit, which I paid for the hotels in Miami Beach. The Continental, I think, was the name of the hotel at 1825 Collins Avenue. I put his parents up. I put his adviser up, Brian Butler."
• "I had lunch with Randy Phillips, [Bryce Brown], his brother Arthur, his parents and his adviser and a female companion to the tune of $500 at Smith & Wollenskys. He was at that time the No. 1 high school recruit in the country according to Rivals. He verbally committed to Miami. They were recruiting him very hard. He de-committed after his brother [Arthur] decided to transfer [out of Miami]."
Nevin Shapiro's March 2008 statement from his American Express black card shows a trio of charges totaling $1,642.19 which the former booster says are linked to multiple NCAA violations. Shapiro said he broke rules by paying for hotel rooms for the family of then-Miami linebacker Arthur Brown, one-time Hurricanes recruit Bryce Brown, and Brown family adviser Brian Butler. Shapiro said he also paid for a $532 lunch at Miami Beach's Smith & Wollensky which was attended by Arthur, Bryce, the parents of the Brown brothers, Butler, and Miami player Randy Phillips. PDF file
This bill, paid on the American Express black card of booster Nevin Shapiro, lists Brian Butler as the guest at the Continental Oceanfront Hotel in March 2008. Butler was a family adviser during the heated recruitment of both Arthur and Bryce Brown. Butler was also considered a person of interest during an NCAA investigation into the recruitment of Bryce Brown. PDF file
This bill, paid on the American Express black card of booster Nevin Shapiro, lists Arthur Brown (Sr.) as the guest at the Continental Oceanfront Hotel in March 2008. Shapiro said he paid for the Brown family during a visit to Miami that month, as well as a $532 lunch at Smith & Wollensky in Miami Beach. PDF file
Kansas State declined to make Brown available for comment, school spokesman Kenny Lannou said.
