Former Auburn basketball assistant Chuck Person has agreed to plead guilty to accepting bribes from an FBI cooperative witness to influence Auburn players to sign with certain financial advisors and business managers once they turn pro, according to info from New York's Southern District on Friday.
In a letter to U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska, assistant U.S. attorneys Robert Boone and Aline Flodr wrote, "It is the government's understanding that the defendant Chuck Connors Person wishes to enter a change of plea in the above-captioned case."
Person's hearing is scheduled for Tuesday in New York.
Person previously pleaded not guilty to six felony charges related to bribery, solicitation of bribes, wire fraud and travel act conspiracy.
Person is expected to plead guilty to one charge of conspiracy and will receive a similar sentence to other former assistant coaches -- with a suggested sentence of about 24 to 30 months in prison -- who are a part of separate criminal cases involving college basketball corruption.
Person's co-defendant, Rashan Michel, is a former NBA referee and the owner of an Atlanta high-end clothing store; Michel's own New York trial is scheduled for July.
A former Auburn and NBA player and coach at Auburn from 2014-17, Person is accused of soliciting and accepting at least $91,500 from Louis Martin Blazer III, a former financial adviser, who had been working as a cooperative witness for the FBI in its investigation into college basketball.
Person is additionally accused of helping expedite money to players' families. The government claims he provided $11,000 to one player's family and $7,500 to another.
Michel is accused of initiating Blazer and Person's relationship, and also receiving tens of thousands of dollars from Blazer to introduce him to Person and other college coaches.
Two of Auburn's players, Austin Wiley and Danjel Purifoy, were unable to play in the 2017-18 season after the University self-reported violations in recruiting, extra benefits and agents. Purifoy was additionally suspended for 30 percent of the 2018-19 season, not playing in the first nine games this season.
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