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Allegations: Sam Shields

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Nevin Shapiro on Shields: Play audio

Miami booster Nevin Shapiro alleges he provided a handful of extra benefits to Sam Shields during his career with the Hurricanes. Among the benefits he claimed to have provided:

Sam Shields
  • Position: Wide receiver

  • Rivals recruiting rank: Ranked as the No. 17 wide receiver in the Class of 2006.

  • Miami career: Shields spent his first three seasons with the Hurricanes as a wideout, including a promising freshman season. But his role diminished to the point he was relegated to special teams as a junior. A move to cornerback got him back onto the field as a solid senior contributor, and Shields ultimately signed with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2010. He is currently a backup for the Packers.

• A 42-inch Toshiba flat screen television.

• Drinks and VIP access in nightclubs.

• Food, drinks and entertainment at Shapiro's $6 million Miami Beach mansion.

Corroborating accounts

• One source corroborated one of Shapiro’s security guards picking up a television for Shields and placing it in the booster’s garage, as well as Shields later picking the television up from Shapiro’s home.

In Shapiro's words

• "Sam Shields I met [and] he was a really quiet kid. I had known that he was having issues inside the program. Randy Shannon wasn't a big fan of his. I knew he was just moved to special teams and inevitably went to cornerback his last year. He came over with Javarris James one time and somehow we struck up a relationship. He had told me that he loved the TVs in my house. I got him a 42-inch Toshiba from my stepbrother who is a Toshiba rep."

• "I had one of my security guys pick [the TV] up at the wholesaler and leave it in my garage. I told Sam, 'It's time to get your ass over to my house to come pick up the TV because it's hot inside my garage.' I wasn't about to budge it. So I ended up giving him a 42-inch Toshiba. He was in the clubs with us a few times and in my house a few times. After that, there was no contact."

Documents
Documents

Nevin Shapiro's cell phone providers condensed his calling records from 2002 to 2008 and deleted the booster's text messaging records prior to 2009. Despite a significant portion of his records being expunged, Yahoo! Sports was able to identify 63 calls or texts between Shapiro and Sam Shields from July 2009 to October 2009. This is a page showing communication between the booster and a phone number linked to Shields. PDF file

Response
Response

Could not be reached for comment.