FBI Enters Caron Probe, Seeks Mail, Wire Fraud

The FBI has entered the investigation of Robert Troy Caron, the Oxnard sports agent who is the target of a joint NCAA-Pacific 10 Conference probe.

The ongoing controversy over alleged payments to college athletes led authorities to question whether federal laws of mail and wire fraud were violated, said sources who asked not to be identified.

Steve Zipperstein, U.S. assistant attorney, refused to confirm or deny if there is an investigation into Caron’s activities in trying to recruit players to become clients of his Pro Manage sports agency.

Shawn Walters, Israel Ifeanyi and Errick Herrin were suspended by USC on Sept. 28, and Donnie Edwards was declared ineligible by UCLA on Monday for allegedly receiving money or pagers from Caron. The NCAA and Pac-10 also are investigating cases at several other schools.

One source familiar with the FBI probe said it would be difficult to prove criminal wrongdoing under federal law, but authorities were concerned enough to look into the situation.

“I don’t see any potential criminal exposure,” said Russ Sauer, Caron’s attorney. “On the other hand, given the wide amount of publicity [of this case], people might be investigating to determine things.”

Sauer, who is defending Caron against USC in a civil suit filed last week, said he was unaware of a federal investigation.

Caron, 37, a personal injury lawyer and agent, has denied wrongdoing, saying he never paid athletes who had college eligibility.

In the late 1980s, federal authorities investigated New York sports agents Norby Walters and Lloyd Bloom, who were convicted of signing athletes before the athletes’ college eligibility had expired, and of threatening some of the athletes’ with harm if they sought to break the agreements.

But the convictions were overturned on appeal in 1990.

“The allegations were that the agents would send things in the mail, committing mail fraud on the universities,” said Steve Derian, a UCLA law professor. “The court said the connection with the mail was so slight they could not be convicted under this statute.”

Times staff writer Maryann Hudson contributed to this story.