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FBI Investigating Potential Fraud in University of Minnesota Ticket Offices

Mike Chiari@mikechiariX.com LogoFeatured ColumnistJune 2, 2017

COLLEGE PARK, MD - OCTOBER 15:  The Minnesota Golden Gophers mascot performs during the game against the Maryland Terrapins on October 15, 2016 in College Park, Maryland.  (Photo by G Fiume/Maryland Terrapins/Getty Images)
G Fiume/Getty Images

It was reported Friday that the FBI is investigating possible fraud in the University of Minnesota's ticket department.

According to Marcus Fuller of the Star Tribune, a University of Minnesota spokesman said the school's office of internal audit found inconsistencies in transaction records before turning the information over to the FBI.

It wasn't specified which sports may have been involved with the discrepancies, but the ticket office has undergone upheaval since they were discovered.

Per Fuller, Minnesota fired ticket operations director Brent Holck in February.

According to Liz Collin of CBS Minnesota, athletic director Mark Coyle believes the fraud occurred for six years and pointed toward Holck as the culprit:

"It was a very sophisticated and complex scheme and it was deliberately done. ... In essence, we had tickets that were distributed for Gopher events. We had tickets that were used but the revenue was not tying back to those tickets."

Since his firing, Holck has been replaced by assistant athletic director Ryan Dillon.