CINCINNATI — An Indiana man whose son is a member of the University of Cincinnati baseball group is the bettor at the center of separate investigations that led to firings of Alabama coach Brad Bohannon and two members of Bearcats baseball employees this month, two individuals familiar with the inquiries told The Linked Press on Friday.

The individuals who identified Bert Neff of Mooresville, Indiana, as getting connected to each the Alabama and Cincinnati circumstances spoke on situation of anonymity for the reason that neither was authorized to speak about ongoing investigations.

A quantity listed as Neff’s cell telephone was not accepting calls Friday.

No information have been disclosed by Alabama on why Bohannon was let go soon after 5 years on the job. On the other hand, the firing came 3 days soon after a report warning of suspicious wagers on an LSU-Alabama baseball game prompted Ohio’s top rated gambling regulator to bar licensed sportsbooks in the state from accepting bets on the Tide’s games. Pennsylvania and New Jersey followed suit.

Associated | Alabama baseball coach fired soon after suspicious betting at Fantastic American Ball Park

ESPN reported later that surveillance video from the sportsbook positioned at the Cincinnati Reds’ Fantastic American Ballpark indicated the particular person who placed the bets was communicating with Bohannon at the time. ESPN cited several anonymous sources with direct data about the investigation.

A single of the individuals familiar with the investigations told the AP on Friday that Neff was the particular person who placed these bets.

Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne has considering that mentioned the university had received no proof that any players have been involved in the circumstance. A text message to Byrne from the AP on Friday was not quickly returned.

Alabama is competing in the Southeastern Conference baseball tournament this week and is positioned to attain the NCAA Tournament.

Earlier this week, Cincinnati announced assistant coach Kyle Sprague and director of operations Andy Nagel have been relieved of their duties May possibly 17, about a week soon after the college opened an investigation into attainable NCAA violations.

The college did not give information of what was getting investigated and mentioned it would not comment additional. Voice and text messages to Cincinnati athletic director John Cunningham have been not quickly returned.

Associated | UC assistant baseball coach, director of operations fired soon after internal assessment findings

But 1 of the individuals familiar with the circumstance told AP that make contact with with Neff was what led to the firings. It is not recognized if Neff was wagering on Cincinnati baseball games.

A third particular person familiar with the Cincinnati investigation told AP there was been no indication games have been getting fixed or that Sprague or Nagel have been betting on games.

Neff’s son, Andrew, is listed as a pitcher on Cincinnati’s roster, but has not played this season. The Bearcats season ended earlier this week when they have been eliminated from the American Athletic Conference Tournament.

A single of the individuals familiar with the circumstance mentioned Bert Neff has been a youth coach in Indiana with connections to college coaches by way of recruiting.

Sports Illustrated was very first to report Neff’s involvement with each the Alabama and Cincinnati baseball firings.

The Cincinnati case is the most up-to-date gambling-connected scandal in college sports this month.

Much less than a week soon after Bohannon was fired, the University of Iowa mentioned 26 of its athletes across 5 sports have been suspected of wagering on sports in violation of NCAA guidelines. Its cross-state rival, Iowa State, acknowledged that some 15 of its athletes across 3 sports also are suspected of violating gambling guidelines.

NCAA guidelines prohibit athletes, coaches and employees from betting on amateur, collegiate and expert sports in which the NCAA conducts a championship. The guidelines are below scrutiny as legalized gambling spreads across the nation, and the NCAA this week mentioned it was organizing an athletes-only survey on the subject.