A Lamborghini dropoff was a front for a hidden rendezvous with a booster, according to a revised complaint.
The Florida Gators’ name, image, and likeness scandal involving blue-chip quarterback Jaden Rashada began with a covert recruiting meeting with a major backer disguised as a Lamborghini dropoff.
Rashada’s revised federal lawsuit against Gators coach Billy Napier, big backer Hugh Hathcock, and a former staffer includes some fresh allegations.
According to Rashada’s updated complaint, he and his family met with worker Marcus Castro-Walker in a conference room at the Gators’ facility in June 2022. Rashada was touring as one of the country’s best prospects.
“Upon entering the meeting room, Castro-Walker informed Jaden’s father, Harlen, that one of UF’s biggest boosters was there that day and that he wanted to speak with Jaden,” according to the updated complaint, which is 46 pages long. “Castro-Walker explained that Hathcock was there to drop off his Lamborghini for a photo shoot, but ‘you didn’t see him,’ acknowledging the forbidden yet undeniable affiliation between Hathcock and UF’s football program.”
Hathcock walked in through a back door, then “bragged that he was a big financial supporter of UF’s football program, and assured Jaden that UF’s football program was going to achieve much success under Coach Napier.”
That talk resulted in a $13.85 million name, image, and likeness deal if he changed his oral pledge to Florida from Miami. Rashada stated that he was guaranteed $9.5 million if he joined the Hurricanes.
Napier’s counsel have stated that he did not engage in any potential crime. The new complaint, filed this week in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida, refutes this.
Hathcock’s discussions with Rashada’s agents “made clear that his ability to fund lucrative NIL deals was the means to Napier’s recruiting end,” according to the suit. Hathcock stated that he would “just listen to” Napier and Castro-Walker and do whatever it takes to land a desirable recruit. The complaint also deemed it “implausible” that Hathcock would propose to pay Rashada above other high-profile passers without Napier’s approval.
When Rashada did not immediately sign with the Gators on the December 2022 early signing day, Napier “put pressure on Jaden” and stated that he did not want to begin his news conference until his quarterback had signed. Napier’s meeting with reporters was postponed. According to the complaint, Napier then instructed Rashada to sign his paperwork with Florida because the money for name, image, and likeness “would not be a problem.”
Rashada’s lawsuit charged Napier of violating Florida’s name, image, and likeness statute, NCAA guidelines, and his contract through the inducement.
Napier has said little publicly about the matter, but he stated in May that he feels “comfortable” with his actions.
Rashada signed with Florida but was permitted to withdraw a month later, “only after Jaden’s newly retained legal counsel got involved,” according to the lawsuit. He transferred to Arizona State and is currently at Georgia, one of the Gators’ bitter rivals.
The updated complaint adds a new count: civil conspiracy to compel. The remaining seven counts are the same: fraud, negligence, and contract interference.The lawsuit names neither the university nor the athletic department as defendants.
The court refused Napier, Castro-Walker, Hathcock, and his auto company’s motions to dismiss the case based on the modified complaint. Their new answers are due on August 27.
