Iowa DCI names multiple current, former Iowa, Iowa State athletes charged in gambling probe
The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation listed Iowa and Iowa State athletes charged in the sports wagering case throughout the state.
This comes on the heel of reports of Iowa State quarterback Hunter Dekkers betting on games, as well as Iowa kicker Aaron Blom. As the statement says, a criminal charge is merely an accusation.
ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg provided the list, via the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
The head of the Iowa Gaming Commission said in May that there was no evidence to suggest that either Iowa and Iowa State athletes bet on their own respective games. That statement came about amid investigations into both programs.
Brian Ohorilko told The Action Network there’s no evidence to suggest there was any suspicious wagering activity on games. News broke of investigations into 41 student-athletes — 26 at Iowa and 15 at Iowa State — for allegations involving online sports gambling. Based on the commission’s findings as of May, those athletes didn’t engage in suspicious wagering activity or match fixing.
Hunter Dekkers releases statement on gambling accusations
The criminal charge, which is for “tampering with records related to” the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s inquiry into gambling at Iowa State, potentially stems from Dekkers using an online betting account under one of his parents names. The statement from his attorney says the criminal charge is an attempt to “criminalize a daily fact of American life.”
It added that Dekkers won’t participate in fall football camp with Iowa State so he can “focus on his studies and on the defense of this criminal charge.”
It went on, stating the charge interferes with business of Iowa State and the NCAA and also politicizing it. It went to argue that the investigations at Iowa State and Iowa are the “tip of an iceberg” and that thousands of other bets are placed by athletes on shared accounts around the country.
The statement acknowledge the investigation has been ongoing since may and revealed that investigators from the state of Iowa executed search warrants both for Dekkers’ apartment in Ames and the families home in Iowa.
“The investigation has been an immense distraction from Hunter’s ability to be a good student and a great teammate. Hunter greatly appreciates the cooperation and support of Iowa State University and Coach [Matt] Campbell and his staff during these events,” the statement said.