Jerome Allen has always been a standup guy, and a great representation of the city, so this accusation is interesting. The Boston Celtics assistant coach is being accused of taking bribes to help a privileged kid get entrance into Penn.
According to Bloomberg, Allen, who is being referred to as “Coach 2” in a criminal investigation surrounding his days as the head coach at the University of Pennsylvania, has been accused of accepting over $80,000 in cash and bribes from a Florida businessman named Philip Esformes.
The coach is Jerome Allen, one of the biggest basketball stars in Penn history and its coach for six seasons, according to a person familiar with the matter. Neither the coach nor the school is identified in an indictment filed against the businessman late Thursday in Miami, but the filing contains descriptions of a Philadelphia school and its head coach that match Allen’s tenure at Penn.A city legend, Allen led Penn as a player and coach, returning in 2009 as an assistant coach. Less than a year later, Allen was named as the head coach before being fired after the 2014-15 season.
Allen, whom the government refers to as Coach 2, isn’t charged with a crime. But prosecutors say the businessman, Philip Esformes of Miami Beach, illicitly gave him more than $74,000 in the form of cash, a recruiting trip to Miami and a separate ride on a private jet in 2013 and 2014. Esformes, who was initially charged two years ago, is accused of health-care fraud, money laundering, conspiracy and bribery.
Esformes’ son is currently a senior at Penn, having never played a minute of basketball for the Quakers.
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