Barnett's summer camps drawing interest from IRS

BOULDER, Colo. -- The Internal Revenue Service has requested documents related to Colorado coach Gary Barnett's two summer football camps.

Details of the IRS investigation, first reported in the Rocky Mountain News, were not available. An IRS spokeswoman said disclosure rules kept her from confirming or denying any investigation.

University spokeswoman Pauline Hale confirmed Thursday that the IRS contacted the school in the last few weeks.

"The university is cooperating fully by providing any and all relevant documents that exist in university files," she said. She said the school could not discuss details.

Barnett's attorney, John Rodman, said the coach had cooperated with the IRS.

"We are anxious to help them in any way we can to get them the records and have them complete their investigation," he said Thursday.

Rodman told the News he thinks the investigation is related to media reports focusing on allegations of questionable accounting and lax oversight of camp expenditures.

Barnett told the newspaper he had "no concerns" the IRS would find anything troublesome with the camps, operated for players ages 8 to 13. Barnett and university officials said he operates the camps independently of the university.

The state auditor's office is already investigating spending at the football camps, the university and its fund-raising arm, the CU Foundation.

A state grand jury that looked into allegations concerning football recruiting at CU alleged in a report leaked to the media that football camp money was loosely guarded and amounted to a "slush fund" for coaches.