In response to a lawsuit filed by Rick Pitino against the Louisville athletic department seeking more than $35 million, the school has filed a countersuit against the ex-coach claiming he was an "active wrongdoer" in the scandal that eventually led to his ousting.
According to WDRB.com, the suit claims Pitino was in charge of the program when it committed multiple NCAA violations and eventually forced the university to vacate wins and its 2013 national championship.
"Mr. Pitino, and not the University, was the active wrongdoer," the lawsuit alleges, while making note that the NCAA has also ordered the university to return money earned during the team's 2012-2015 NCAA Tournament runs.
The university is also seeking "any bonuses and other compensation wrongly paid" to Pitino for those tournament appearances.
The lawsuits allegations stem from the Katina Powell escort scandal that dominated the sport's headlines in 2015 and has continued to hover over Pitino. It also makes mention of the recent FBI investigation in which Pitino was accused to be involved in funneling money to the family of a five-star recruit.
According to the WDRB.com report, Louisville argues the FBI investigation "which was announced on the heels" of the escort scandal "evidences an ongoing failure to adequately monitor and supervise his assistant coaches."
Pitino originally filed suit against the university seeking $4.3 million annually over breach of contract after Louisville dismissed him "for cause." The university filed a defense to that claim Wednesday by maintaining that he was properly terminated after being given a hearing.
"Coach Pitino had no part — active, passive, or through willful ignorance — in the conspiracy described in the Complaint," Pitino's lawyer said. "Coach Pitino never has had any part — active, passive, or through willful ignorance — in any effort, successful or unsuccessful, completed or abandoned, to pay any recruit, or any family member of a recruit, or anyone else on a recruit's behalf, as an inducement to attend the University of Louisville."
