Lead investigator Kenneth Wainstein updated the UNC Board of Governors on Friday regarding his probe into the AFAM academic scandal. Wainstein did not share any findings nor could he give an exact timetable when the final report would be completed.
Wainstein said his team has interviewed 80 potential witnesses and reviewed 1.5 million emails and other electronic documents. It has also gone through thousands of student records and transcripts.
"To date, the university has been tremendously cooperative," said Wainstein.
Wainstein, a partner with the Washington, D.C., law firm of Cadwalader, Wiskersham, & Taft, did not give specifics or any factual findings - saying he would present a full written report this fall that will be made public.
"Our team is completely independent," he stressed during his remarks.
UNC President Tom Ross told the board he invited Wainstein to speak in the wake of renewed publicity about the scandal.
Wainstein also noted that former Tar Heel Rashad McCants had been contacted to speak with investigators before his appearances on ESPN but declined to do so. Wainstein noted that a new letter had been sent to McCants in hopes of getting his testimony on the record.
McCants' unwillingness to speak with Wainstein prior to his ESPN appearances is fairly telling. He was given an opportunity to talk about his experiences with someone investigating the very malfeasance he claims occurred but instead McCants opts to go on television. We can only assume the paycheck was better or it's easier to answer softballs from Andy Katz than tough questions from a seasoned lawyer. Take your choice.
The fact McCants was contacted, even prior to his allegations being known, could indicate the scope of Wainstein's probe. He is obviously talking to former players and has access to their transcripts. If the transcripts have damning information in them then Wainstein is privy to that information. This would make demands for the release of athlete transcripts to the public a moot point. As long as the independent investigator has access to the information and is talking to the relevant parties involved, the final report should answer any lingering questions.
That is until the ABCers and the N&O find another way to move the goalposts.
