A federal grand jury in Atlanta has charged an Arizona couple with conspiring to extort money from Georgia Tech by falsely accusing Yellow Jackets basketball coach Josh Pastner of sexual assault.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, Ronald Bell and co-defendant Jennifer Pendley were indicted on charges of conspiracy to transmit an interstate threat, conspiracy to extort another’s property. and attempted blackmail on August 24.
“The defendants allegedly falsely accused the Georgia Tech coach of sexual assault,” US Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan said in a statement. “They then demanded a large payment in exchange for a retraction. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and our other federal law enforcement partners are particularly adept at exposing allegations. false accusations intended to extort money. Individuals who attempt to commit such criminal schemes at the expense of law-abiding citizens will be arrested and prosecuted.”
In a petition filed in court on Friday, Buchanan asked a federal judge not to release Bell because there was a “serious risk that the defendant will flee” and a “serious risk of being arrested.” will threaten, injure or intimidate a prospective witness or juror, or attempt to do so.”
According to the United States Attorney’s Office, Bell and Pendley allegedly conspired with each other and Chris Meegan, a security guard for Georgia Tech, to charge Pastner with sexual assault. The government accused Bell of recruiting Meegan to perjury that he witnessed Pastner assault Pendley, who later filed a lawsuit against Pastner, in which she accused him of sexual assault, sexual assault. and intentionally causing emotional distress.
The federal government claims Bell told Meegan that Pendley’s claim could be worth $20 million and promised him part of the money. The government alleges Bell also demanded money from representatives of Georgia Tech for not reporting Pendley’s allegations. Meegan later told law enforcement that he had brought charges against Pastner and was encouraged by Bell to do so.
An Arizona judge previously convicted Bell, an old friend of Pastner, of six misdemeanors in July 2021: two counts of influencing a witness, two counts of willful witness tampering, disinformation and facilitating fraud, conspiracy and conduct.
Pendley called police on May 8, 2019 and reported that Pastner sexually assaulted her in a Houston hotel room while he was training for Memphis in 2016. Pendley’s call to police came in. before mediation in a civil action related to the allegation. A 2018 court filing by Pastner’s attorneys, Scott Tompsett and Scott Palumbo, includes recorded prison conversations that show the couple fabricating charges.
In January 2018, Pastner filed a civil lawsuit against Bell and Pendley in Superior Court in Pima County, Arizona, alleging they were trying to blackmail and blackmail him by threatening to launch charges false accusations about him to the media, Georgia Tech and the NCAA.
Bell and Pendley filed an objection in February 2018, alleging Pastner sexually assaulted Pendley in a hotel room and harassed her other times. A Title IX investigation, conducted by attorneys employed by Georgia Tech, shed light on Pastner’s matter in June 2018.
The parties agreed to drop the case in August 2019.
In a November 2017 CBS Sports report, Bell accused Pastner of providing Georgia Tech basketball players Josh Okogie and Tadric Jackson with improper benefits by paying them to fly to his home in New York. Tucson, Arizona and pay for their meal at a restaurant in Atlanta. Bell also alleges that he sent shoes and shirts to players he purchased online.
After learning of Bell’s allegations in October 2017, Pastner said he reported the violations to Georgia Tech’s compliance department. Technology officials themselves reported the violations to the NCAA, and the school declared Okogie and Jackson ineligible to compete at the start of the 2017-18 season. The NCAA suspended Okogie six games and Jackson three games. They also require players to refund the money they have received.
In September 2019, the NCAA placed the Yellow Jackets on 4 years probation and banned them from competing in post-season tournaments during the 2019-20 season. The Commission on Infringement ruled that Bell provided the player with $2,424 for shoes, clothing, meals, transportation and accommodation.
An NCAA violation appeals committee omitted many of the sanctions against Technology in February 2021.
