UPDATE IN THE SAINTS' VICODIN MESS
Several things to tell you about in the Saints' Vicodin mess. New Orleans Director of Security, Geoffrey Santini, an ex-FBI special agent, is said to have been wearing a wire when he met with GM Mickey Loomis. If this is true, Santini's lawsuit against the team has even more merit. He claims in the suit filed Friday that Loomis told him to discontinue the investigation & not to copy the video Santini had of linebackers' coach Joe Vitt taking Vicodin from the trainer's locked pharmaceutical cabinet. Being a former FBI guy, Santini knew this constituted a crime & wanting no part of a coverup, he resigned. His suit sought a settlement for lost wages because of his perceived forced resignation. When the Saints failed to respond to his settlement request, he filed suit. Now the DEA has entered the fray, a spokesman for the agency said they had been looking into the allegations made by Santini since mid-season.
Another part of the suit I wasn't aware of until today, Loomis apparently asked both trainers to alter the logs that document the dispensing of controlled substances as required by federal law. The trainers claim there were 130 Vicodin pills missing. The suit also said that Vitt had a medical condition that required the prescription painkiller. Sean Payton has no such condition, but was still being issued the drug "in quantities that suggest abuse."
ESPN legal analyst Roger Kosack said this afternoon that Loomis is in the most danger because if his coverup attempt can be proven, "he will face federal conspiracy charges, which are tough to beat, especially when the main accuser is a decorated former FBI agent who resigned from his job because he believed crimes were being committed." This can also be a local beef, but they will get in line behind the Feds. The NFL office is watching the brewing embarrassment of the current Super Bowl champs with great interest as well.
Having been in the gaming business for 20 years, I can tell you it's common practice to hire former FBI & DEA agents to fill the top security positions within an organization. They know the law & they don't ignore it. NFL security men report directly to team ownership as well league security officials & over the years, I've never known a team director of security to have crossed the line. They've proven to be straight arrows with flawless integrity. This deal isn't going away, it will only grow. Ben Roethlisberger is smiling somewhere out there, the Saints' mess should take him off page 1 for a while.
Another part of the suit I wasn't aware of until today, Loomis apparently asked both trainers to alter the logs that document the dispensing of controlled substances as required by federal law. The trainers claim there were 130 Vicodin pills missing. The suit also said that Vitt had a medical condition that required the prescription painkiller. Sean Payton has no such condition, but was still being issued the drug "in quantities that suggest abuse."
ESPN legal analyst Roger Kosack said this afternoon that Loomis is in the most danger because if his coverup attempt can be proven, "he will face federal conspiracy charges, which are tough to beat, especially when the main accuser is a decorated former FBI agent who resigned from his job because he believed crimes were being committed." This can also be a local beef, but they will get in line behind the Feds. The NFL office is watching the brewing embarrassment of the current Super Bowl champs with great interest as well.
Having been in the gaming business for 20 years, I can tell you it's common practice to hire former FBI & DEA agents to fill the top security positions within an organization. They know the law & they don't ignore it. NFL security men report directly to team ownership as well league security officials & over the years, I've never known a team director of security to have crossed the line. They've proven to be straight arrows with flawless integrity. This deal isn't going away, it will only grow. Ben Roethlisberger is smiling somewhere out there, the Saints' mess should take him off page 1 for a while.
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