The NCAA has hit former University of Alabama baseball head coach Brad Bohannon with a five-year suspension for providing inside information about the injury status of the team’s starting pitcher before a game to someone who then tried to use the knowledge to place a six-figure bet. He is also subject to a 15-year show-cause order.
The school received a three-year probation in the case, as well as a $5,000 fine, and must provide extra gambling education classes for its staff and athletes.
Bohannon specifically violated the NCAA’s rules regarding “honesty and sportsmanship” when he leaked the information to Bert Eugene Neff before the team’s game against LSU in April 2023.
Neff pled guilty to obstructing justice as he lied to FBI agents, destroyed evidence, and tampered with witnesses. This offense carries prison time of up to a decade and a fine as high as $250,000.
Neff tried to put $100,000 on LSU to win
The NCAA has text messages between the pair which show Bohannon encouraging Neff to place a large wager against Alabama. Neff tried to put $100,000 on LSU to win and told four other gamblers about the information. The BetMGM retail sportsbook at the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati limited him to $15,000. He even told sportsbook staff that he knew LSU was going to win and showed them messages from Alabama’s coach.