A key figure in the pay-for-play scandal involving former UA assistant menβs basketball coach Book Richardson has pleaded guilty to federal bribery and conspiracy charges.
Financial adviser Munish Sood is one of the two men who federal agents say gave Richardson $20,000 in bribes. Agents say Richardson used some of the money to convince a recruit, believed to be Jahvon Quinerly, to commit to the UA.
Sood was arrested in September 2017, along with nine other people β including Richardson and several other Division I assistant coaches.
Sood remained uncharged until recently. Last Monday, Sood waived his indictment and pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit bribery, honest services fraud and travel act offenses; payments of bribes to an agent of a federally funded organization and wire fraud conspiracy.
Sood, the CEO of Princeton Advisory Group in Princeton, New Jersey, was accused of bribing Richardson, Oklahoma Stateβs Lamont Evans and USCβs Tony Bland to influence players to sign with Sood and sports agent Christian Dawkins once they turned pro.
Itβs unclear how Soodβs guilty plea will affect the case against Richardson. He is scheduled to go to trial in April.
