The NFL’s Washington Commanders denied a number of allegations of monetary impropriety in a letter despatched Monday to the Federal Commerce Fee.
The 105-page letter together with testimony, emails and different paperwork got here as a response to the Home Oversight and Reform Committee asking the FTC to look into the workforce’s enterprise practices.
The committee final week advised the FTC it discovered proof of misleading enterprise practices over the span of greater than a decade, together with withholding ticket income from visiting groups and refundable deposits from followers. The NFL mentioned it engaged Securities and Alternate Fee chair Mary Jo White “to overview probably the most critical issues raised by the committee.”
The letter signed by Jordan W. Siev from the legislation agency Reed Smith denies all of these allegations and takes goal on the motives and character of former VP of gross sales and customer support Jason Friedman, whose testimony towards the workforce framed the committee’s advice. Siev argues no monetary investigation is warranted, saying the committee by no means requested details about the allegations made, which the Commanders consider would clear them of any wrongdoing.
“The committee didn't request a single doc from the workforce; the committee didn't invite a single consultant of the workforce to handle the reality of the issues contained within the committee’s letter; and the committee didn't pose inquiries to the workforce to reply in writing about its allegations, or present any mechanism in any respect for the workforce to handle the reality of the allegations,” the letter mentioned. “Had the committee posed any of those questions or requests to the workforce, the workforce might — and would — simply and absolutely have rebutted every allegation.”
Congress started wanting into the workforce’s office misconduct after the league didn't launch a report detailing the findings of an impartial investigation into the matter, which led to a $10 million wonderful however no different self-discipline. The committee mentioned the NFL and the workforce “have taken steps to withhold key paperwork and knowledge.”
In a press release despatched to the Related Press on April 4, a Commanders spokeswoman mentioned there was “completely no withholding of ticket income at any time” and pointed to audits by a number of events, including that “anybody who provided testimony suggesting a withholding of income has dedicated perjury, plain and easy.”
Lawyer Lisa Banks, who represents Friedman, mentioned the workforce defamed her shopper, who she mentioned “testified in truth, with proof.”
Friedman testified earlier than Congress saying the workforce had two separate monetary books: one with underreported ticket income that went to the NFL and the total, full image. In keeping with testimony, proprietor Dan Snyder was conscious of the numbers shared with the league whereas additionally being aware about the precise knowledge.
Within the workforce’s letter to the FTC, former director of finance Paul Szczenski is quoted as saying, “I can state unequivocally that I by no means helped keep, or noticed anybody else keep, a ‘second set’ of books. The workforce additionally cites declarations from former chief working officer Mitch Gershman and former common counsel David Donovan together with emails and different paperwork to refute allegations cited by the Oversight Committee.”
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