The money order offered by a sports...

The money order offered by a sports agent as proof that University of Miami fullback Alonzo Highsmith’s parents were making lease payments on his car was purchased by one of the agent’s employees and was back-dated, the Miami News reported.

Agent Mel Levine submitted a copy of the money order to the newspaper after a reporter confronted him about car lease agreements between one of his companies and Highsmith and teammate Jerome Brown, a defensive lineman.

The $500 money order was hand-dated July 18, but the newspaper learned that it actually had been purchased Thursday, one day after the reporter confronted Levine.

Levine admitted Friday that the money order had been purchased by Richard DeLuca, a 22-year-old University of Miami law student who works as a salesman for Levine’s car leasing company. He said it had been paid for with cash collected from Highsmith’s mother, Paula.

The first payment on the $18,000 Toyota Supra had been due July 15, Levine said, adding that he didn’t realize the payment was late until he checked for paperwork to take to the newspaper.