FEBRUARY 2022 37T
HAT SUMMER, CENTER made what he characterizes
as “t he worst decision of my life.” He took a call from
Singer. While Fox, who declined comment to SI, had been
the connector—for which he would eventually be sentenced
to three months in prison and a $95,000 fine—clearly Singer
was the driving force behind the scheme. And Singer had
some good news. He had already paid Fox $100,000 for
his liaising. Now it was Center’s turn. “He told me I was
personally entitled to $100,000,” Center recalls. “It was
clear [Singer] wanted to run this play again in the future.”
In June 2015, Center agreed to meet with Singer at the
Austin airport, where Singer was passing through. In the
parking lot of an airport hotel Center accepted a backpack
containing $60,000 in cash. (According to Center’s indict-
ment, the other $40,000 came in checks he sent on to the
Longhorn Foundation, he says earmarked for tennis.)
“Why did I do it?” says Center. “I go to bed and wake
up each day asking myself the same question. I had to
convince myself that I somehow deserved the money. Texas
had just cashed a big check [from Schaepe], and nobody
had any issues with that....I was in my early 50s with a
wife and two kids. It was my turn. Almost immediately, I
knew I’d made a mistake. I put the money in my basement
and gave most of it away. It felt dirty. But, yeah, it was a
horrible lapse in judgment, and it’s my responsibility to
tell the truth and own it.”Center says Singer called him again in 2016. He had
another client seeking admission at Texas. “It was a quick
call,” Center recalls. “I said I had no interest.” In early
October ’18, Singer called again, cryptically, wanting to
discuss their “deal” from ’15. Center off handedly recalled
a few of the specifics but said that he was in an airport
and that if Singer had more questions, he should email.
In Center’s retelling, he was not exactly a man freighted
by the guilt of having committed a crime. He says that he
seldom thought about Singer or his machinations. Center
was consumed by his family, the tennis team and its pros-
pect for winning a national title. “Life,” he says, “was good.”
Until suddenly it wasn’t. On March 12, 2019, Center
had no idea why FBI agents were storming his home and
shackling him. “There must be some terrible mistake,” he
recalls saying. “Everything is sealed,” the agents responded,
presumably referring to his indictment.cease after the fall? Was just thinking the voluntary re-
linquishment rule is typically for those who are no longer
a part of the team so wanted to be sure.”
Center replied: “Will not participate.”
“There are forms and signatures and paperwork and
on-boarding and housing,” says Center. “Everyone in
the [athletic] department knows who [the recruits] are.”
It all played out as it had been presented to Center: Upon
arriving in Austin in the fall of 2015, the new freshman
renounced his interest in tennis and moved into an athletic
dorm as a student manager for basketball, a paid position.
Barnes declined comment for this story but said through
a spokesperson that, at Texas, student managers were
assigned to teams through the athletics equipment staff.
Smart denied to SI that he knew how the student was
admitted. Now an independent sports consultant, Patterson
denied knowledge of any scheme. Plonsky referred SI’s
request for comment to a university official, who referenced
the UT internal review, which named only Center. Asked
why their son would have signed his letter of intent if he
did not intend to play tennis, a Schaepe family spokes-
person said, “The Schaepe family had no prior experience
with collegiate athletics and understood that this NCAA
paperwork was applicable to student team managers.”
And as planned, Schaepe became a big donor. In July 2015,
he contributed $100,000 to UT tennis. Shortly afterward,
Schaepe and Chiu gave additional six-figure gifts to the
communications school. Schaepe also donated stock later
valued at $625,000 to Singer’s foundation. (“The Schaepes
acted lawfully, were not charged with any wrongdoing and
were unaware of others’ unlawful conduct,” their spokes-
person said. “Their donations to UT over several years
were made through UT’s development offices only after
the student’s acceptance and not promised in advance.”)
After Schaepe’s son was admitted, Singer’s blog included
a picture of the student with Kevin Durant. The caption:
“Hey Rick, I wanted to thank you personally for all the
help getting me into the University of Texas in Austin,
and helping me secure a manager’s position with the UT
basketball team.” Curiously, the name of Schaepe’s son
was misspelled on the post. The family asserts, through a
spokesperson, that the rumors that they even knew Durant
were false. It was another bit of Singer’s deception.
“Texas had just cashed a big check,
and nobody had any issues with that,” Center
says. “It was my turn.”