A former Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations (DCI) agent alleges that he was fired for questioning if an investigation into illegal gambling at Iowa State and the University of Iowa was legal.
The investigation led to charges against more than a dozen athletes at the universities for underage gambling. Local media reported that a judge dismissed the cases.
As part of testimony in the case, DCI Special Agent Mark Ludwick alleged that the law enforcement agency had conducted multiple searches of personal online accounts without warrants.
Investigator Investigated
Ludwick worked for the Department of Public Safety since 1997. He filed a lawsuit against the state alleging that he was terminated in 2024 over his testimony in the case.
Ludwick interviewed some of the athletes involved. Then, he declined to continue as part of the case after believing that some of the information uncovered was obtained illegally.
The lawsuit notes that others in the department were also concerned about the legality of the investigation. Additionally, Ludwick alleged the DCI began investigating him after his testimony for violating policy. Lastly, he said he experienced “serious and significant retaliation from his superiors.”
The Iowa Attorney General’s Office hasn’t commented on the case. In the original investigation, former Iowa State football player Eyioma Uwazurike was one of those charged.
Authorities alleged he fraudulently used another person’s identity to wager online. Uwazurike was later drafted by the Denver Broncos. An attorney for Uwazurike asked for the charges to be dismissed and described them as “a smear campaign to justify a suspect investigation.”
Growing Number Of Sports Betting Scandals
The NCAA and professional sports leagues have seen several gambling-related scandals over the last few years. The most recent saw Major League Soccer ban two players this week for violating gambling rules.
Cleveland Guardians pitchers Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase were charged with gambling-related crimes in November. Both are accused of rigging pitches to benefit prop bettors while taking kickbacks.
The NBA is currently embroiled in a federal sports betting investigation involving former NBA journeyman and Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach Damon Jones and former Charlotte Hornet and Boston Celtic Terry Rozier.
In 2023, the University of Alabama fired head baseball coach Brad Bohannon after allegedly “suspicious” bets.
