The split-level home sits on a congested street, about six blocks from Eastside. EHS. Rodriguez left Puerto Rico in 2011, chasing the promises of a coach from New Jersey -- his own apartment, a spot on an elite high school team and a Division 1 scholarship. *A Star-Ledger Editorial: Report flawed by 'unexpectedly bizarre conclusion', Justice Wallace's work is "relentlessly ignorant of those who coach sports on this level. Viewer discretion is advised. The school released the following statement Friday afternoon: "We made and announced administrative changes on August 2. Things have been eerily quiet in the South Carolina Upstate over the last few weeks as it relates to the Thornblade saga a host of alleged scandals centered around an upscale neighborhood and exclusive golf club located in the suburbs of Greenville, S.C. And quiet is just how the wealthy, influential local citizens at the heart of these scandals hope things will stay . What sort of proximity are we talking about? Now, through interviews with players, parents, coaches and other sources, NJ Advance Media can trace the remarkable circumstances under which players were recruited, lured and even hijacked to New Jersey. On Saturday morning at the Boyle Heights Beat, a student-run journalism operation, the hot topic was the college entrance cheating scandal and how . And Blessing Ejioforlanded in the U.S. on the fast track to college, via Nigeria, but her dreams were crushed by the adults she trusted most. More:Paterson Eastside High School basketball ban upheld by state commissioner, More:Paterson names new coach for Eastside girls basketball team, More:Michael Baker named boys basketball coach as Eastside looks to rebound from scandal. NJSIAA officials say they will take action in wake of NJ Advance Media's reporting. Her stay with Ayala did not last long, according to coaches and the report, even though he is still listed as her guardian on school documents. "The post included a video with offensive content that will not be tolerated. In response to questions raised by our faculty and community, we held a Town Hall on Wednesday August 16. "Nobody ever said anything to me about I-20s," Lyde said. Father Heric was appointed to be interim president after the previous president, John Kennedy, resigned over the summer. One student, Bravo junior Andy Garcia, hadnt said much during the discussion. ", "I'm the victim because I'm the one who is out of school for six months," Ejiofor said last month. It is, for most players on this island, a dream come true. A few minutes later, the emcee hummed a few bars from "The Final Countdown" as a basketball-shaped mascot with a cowboy hat and bushy moustache made its grand entrance. No at least not in our view. ", "As I'm sure you can understand, I am not able to provide specific personnel details. "Papi, if I don't leave this place soon, it'll drive me crazy," he told his father in a phone conversation. KIRO 7 obtained a resignation letter written by teacher Lisa Abraham. School is supposed to start August 23, but on Friday the school confirmed classes will be postponed one week and start August 30. A second male student then appears on screen and states, "Remember, *explicit removed* the Mexicans. Also, Evans had said the district would seek tenure charges against Griles in an effort to oust him from his teaching position at Eastside. They said they came because Juan Griles, the basketball coach at Eastside, sold a future that this working-class family from Caugas could not resist. PATERSON - Basketball players who transferred to Paterson's Eastside High School from Nigeria and Puerto Rico went through a different school registration process than did other students,. *Broken promises and disposable players: The remarkable story how Eastside coaches lured foreign players. The promises were the same he made Rodriguez, his future teammate. State Sen. Richard Codey (D-Essex) called on Attorney General Christopher Porrino to investigate Paterson Eastside. Shes hoping for a scholarship to pay her way. The Jordans have declined multiple requests for interviews, but Aquino appears to be well clothed, well cared for and her social media accounts suggest she is adjusting to life as an American teenager. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. PATERSON As a result of the basketball recruiting scandal that rocked Eastside High School in 2017, more than 100 Paterson sports coaches this year were required to pass a test . COVINGTON, Ga. - Students at Eastside High School are under fire after a social media post went viral showing discriminatory and racial remarks and actions. Meanwhile, the adults linked to Aquino -- Ayala, Lyde, Sparks founder Shane Gerald and Sparks coach Keith Gilchrist -- have not responded to numerous phone calls and text messages asking about the player. "When I asked why I wasn't going to North Carolina, I was told that I didn't have a ready host family," Ejiofor said in a conversation over social media. Capers, who said he coaches football at Irvington High School in Essex County, asserted that Paterson is now being held to a higher standard than are other districts. I didn't really get into her family situation or where she was staying.". *Hoops power packs roster from overseas; state questions safety of teens living with coach. Now, the state is taking a closer look at how they got here. "I am innocent and didn't know any better," Ejiofor said. And that consensual sex acts between individuals of consenting age are, well, consensual.. For example, we reported earlier this week that HSI agents have been asking questions about Brian Gem Garrison - a former adjunct tennis coach at Eastside High School in Taylors, S.C. who was . And he regrets others who followed him encountered similar problems. Paterson Eastside High's boys basketball team has been infused with talented players from Puerto Rico and Nigeria. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); "Americas government since 1989 from top to bottom has been Thornblade Saga: Internal Affairs Investigation At Greenville County Sheriffs Office, Charleston Democrats Fret Over Former Republican Seeking Local Office On Their Ticket, Washington DC Protesters Target Lindsey Graham Over Supreme Court Vote, #SC2018: James Smith Touts Poll Showing His Viability, Bamberg SC Detention Center Officer Arrested Following Alleged Assault On Inmate, Mark Powells Palmetto Past & Present: Lost Confederate Gold, Ron Paul: The Anti-War Movement Roars Back To Life. Ejiofor said she was greeted by a man she had never met or heard of -- Ray Lyde Jr., the girls coach at Eastside. A care package loaded with supplies from his mother, sent to the address in Somerset, never appeared, either. She says that, on weekends, her mother makes and sells pupusas outside the South L.A. home they rent from an uncle. 2 Morristown, 45-40, the No. The smell of marijuana often wafted into their room, and they feared arguments downstairs eventually would escalate. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Another school board member, Emmanuel Capers, said he still believes the actions taken as a result of the news stories were excessive. ", *The key players in Eastside scandal, fallout. But Esteban, who admits crying when he read the first story about the Eastside scandal, said Selwyn was . We have an open microphone policy here at FITSNews! Even the women making rice-and-beans in the back of the room stopped to snap photos. Submit your letter to the editor (or guest column) via email HERE. The players came to Paterson Eastside from Nigeria, Paraguay and Puerto Rico in search of their own hoops dream. In April 2015, the teenager moved to New Jersey, using a visa issued for a New York-based private school, the document said. Get more of Steve Lopezs work and follow him on Twitter @LATstevelopez. She earned a 3.7 grade-point average and graduated in the top 20 of her class, according to an article in the Paterson Times. She said students had turned down offers that were close to free rides because they couldnt come up with the several thousand dollars still due. He was benched for a first-round state playoff game, and the reason seemed almost too cruel to believe. But the player stayed several months, and it was Lyde -- the Eastside girls coach -- who provided money for school uniforms and other living expenses, according to the employee, who asked not to be identified for fear of punishment from Paterson officials. "She's obviously confused and doesn't understand what's going on. The report painted a grim picture of an emotionally distressed and helpless teenager, thousands of miles from home. "He made a lot of promises about the future, about getting Selwyn to a university, about getting him to Division 1," Selwyn's father, Edwin, said. "Here in Puerto Rico, I was a top prospect," Selwyn, now 22, said as he sat on a weight bench in his carport adjacent to his grandmother's house. It has also prompted an investigation by the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) although it is not initially clear which component of the multi-faceted situation the feds are focused on. ", *Coaches, athletic director fired as fallout spreads. I am sure we can agree that getting our kids back to school and focused on their studies, their friendships and their future's is the important goal, and we look forward to doing just that.". Father Heric remains our chaplain and community liaison. 2023 Cox Media Group. She planned to study pharmacology at Vanderbilt. For example, Lyde and a student registration secretary were able to get pay that they originally been denied during Evans tenure. Support NJ.com, Matthew Stanmyre and Steve Politi | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, Juan Griles, the basketball coach at Eastside. 3 Ghosts (24-5 . Contact Us, 973-321-1000. But when she landed in Queens, Ejiofor was dealt an immediate and unimaginable surprise: North Carolina was out and she was headed to New Jersey and a school called Paterson Eastside. Olivia Teforlack, a junior at Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet who wants to go to a University of California campus, said the pressures of high school and the college admission process were overwhelming enough without having to worry about reverse discrimination for the privileged. Any charity interested in applying for Eastside's 2023-2024 Spirit Week can apply by filling out the application and submitting no later than March 24, 2023. Our sources also tell us not all of the sex acts currently under the law enforcement microscope were necessarily consensual which would be criminal under any circumstances. "We're not dumb people. Officials said Johnson has been using sick days she accumulated during her career with Paterson Public Schools, which started in 1979. Probably. *How scandal of overseas hoops players living with H.S. He plays wheelchair basketball, he said, hoping for a scholarship. But criminally charged? In addition, the changes were announced very close to the start of the school year, which caused a lot of consternation. He came to New Jersey that fall, just before basketball season began, and moved into a house where Griles lived in Somerset. Father Heric will go back to being the school chaplain. Absolutely. It happened during the Camden County Tournament Championship game between Camden High School and Eastside High School. "I ended up in Jersey.". PATERSON As a result of the basketball recruiting scandal that rocked Eastside High School in 2017, more than 100 Paterson sports coaches this year were required to pass a test about state athletic association rules. unanswered questions in the Paterson basketball scandal. The ongoing drama tied to this upscale Upstate neighborhood which was first reported by this news outlet a week ago has been dominating discussions in the greater Greenville, S.C. area. "We would come back from the theater or wherever and we found that woman on the ground many times," Esteban said. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The first one, a senior named Luis, knew the name of the cheating scandals mastermind. Excellence for All Students Through Strong Relationships & Instructional Strategies Delivered by Effective Educators. "As a result of the information that Andrea has shared, it is evident that Andrea may be the victim of neglect, child exploitation, emotional abuse and child endangerment," the report reads. *Report leaves more questions than answers, Wallace documentminimizes the actions of key figures, even referring to the ousted boys basketball coach as a "humanitarian. ", Said Edwin Rodriguez: "(Griles) basically put my sons' lives at risk putting them in this house with this drug addict. All four ended up in Paterson, playing for the powerhouse teams at Eastside High School, . unanswered questions in the Paterson basketball scandal, How scandal of overseas hoops players living with H.S. CHERRY HILL, New Jersey (WPVI) -- An altercation broke out Thursday night in the middle of a high school basketball game in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. They had SAT preps and the older girl was a senior in high school, and theyd use her old tests to study, and they would hire private tutors for them.. She had left Nigeria to play basketball and study at Evelyn Mack Academy in Charlotte, determined to earn a scholarship to an American college. when she graduated from high school. He retired at the end of June. Here are 10 you cant miss, Yosemite breaks decades-old snowfall record, closing national park indefinitely, San Diego federal judge had defendants 13-year-old daughter handcuffed. The second of five players emerge from the home of head coach Juan Griles a day after he said only two of his Paterson Eastside basketball players are living with him at his home on E. 19th Street. We now recognize that this timing was a mistake, and we are working to rectify the impact it has had. Griles, he said, promised to handle the rest, leaving Edwin to assume his boys would be safe and comfortable. According to videos shared on social media, a male student can be seen escorting a female student with hands behind her back. Abraham wrote, "I will not remain at a parochial school whose singular religious figure, and now, president badly lies to his faculty and staff.". In his senior season, Rodriguez only played a few minutes per game. The game was held at Cherry Hill East High School, a neutral site for both teams. 0:49. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Got something youd like to say in response to one of our articles? Submit your letter to the editor (or guest column) via email HERE. What if they came knocking on the door?". It didn't take long to realize the living situation wouldn't match the promises. All are in compliance, wrote the monitor, Gary Farishian. Between five and six boys basketball players from Paterson Eastside lived with the team's head coach this season. For now, however, he thinks about other opportunities he had after that big international tournament in 2011, and how his career might have been different had he never met Griles. Andrea Aquino was treated like a curiosity in Caacupe, Paraguay, according to local coaches and an article on ESPN.com. Staff Login. *Ugly accusations tearthrough highest levels of school. On Tuesday, September 1, 2020, we reported that Rick Mathews had been interviewed on the previousTuesday (August 25, 2020)by agents of DHS Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)unit. Coaches Juan Griles, Alberto Maldonado, and supervisor of athletics Gregory Co "I'm willing to go as far as I have to. "Especially because it was our kids who had to suffer the most because of this.. The fight happened Thursday night between Camden High School and Camden Eastside High School. "You gotta call her coach and whoever. After starting high school that spring, Aquino, who now stands 6-9, joined the powerhouse New Jersey Sparks AAU program. Phone 770-784-2920 | Fax 770-784-2918. But even after winning the MVP at a holiday tournament, Griles ignored him. PATERSON A security guard at Eastside High School has been removed from his job after allegations surfaced this week about "inappropriate contact" between him and a student, officials said. Legislation would ban buying, selling, makingor altering a transcript with the intent to deceive. Andrea Galdmez apologized for arriving a few minutes late. The turmoil weighed on Aquino, who confided in a teacher in 2015, according to the school report. After a series of winning seasons and strong showings in the state tournaments, Eastsides girls and boys teams finished with losing records this year. See the documents. Jio Fontan, a former Sparks coach and now the head coach at Queen of Peace High, said he worked closely with Aquino early in her New Jersey stay. "I would just meet her at the gym and work out from there and take her to her game if need be. The board of trustees met Thursday evening to discuss the possibility of offering the principals their jobs back and rehiring the teachers who resigned. That's where Griles, he said, discovered him and recruited him to New Jersey. Aquino needed to get to the U.S., where she could develop her game, earn a college scholarship and potentially play professionally. Former Supreme Court justice was paid$900 each time he traveled from South Jersey to the Passaic County school. The USSS and HSI investigations are ongoing. Coaches in other towns dont have to take a test on NJSIAA rules, he said. Similarly, it is unclear whether the USSS investigation into Thornblade is tied to the alleged credit card fraud or some of the more illicit, sexually charged allegations. "It's very unfortunate that she's caught up in the middle of something like this.". The decision was made yesterday to reverse these changes and go back to the previous structure. Our Upstate sources which include law enforcement officers, prosecutors, attorneys and private investigators, among others have conveyed a remarkably consistent narrative about what allegedly transpired behind the scenes in this exclusive enclave. Edwin Rodriguez said he paid Griles $900 a month for an apartment for Selwyn, then 17, and Esteban, then 24. In anticipation of a radio story for the Beat, Andrea went to work on her Roosevelt campus last week and asked students what they thought of the scandal. Copyright 2023 WPVI-TV. According to our sources, Mathews was grilled for more than three hours by investigators. Rodriguez had done well in the classroom and earned a scholarship offer to play volleyball at Purdue University. 0:00. VIDEO: Eastside Catholic HS teachers quit Classes could be delayed at a high school sports power house after more than a dozen teachers walked off the job. The college scouts never came, either. 0:00. The now-deceased woman who owned the house, the brothers said, was a drug addict who regularly used while they were upstairs. Asked if he cared to comment, he shifted in his wheelchair and said he wanted to go to college but didnt know how hed ever come up with the money, so hes doing whatever he can. That the athletic directors job.. Under his suspension, Lyde is eligible to resume coaching the Eastside girls team next season. She had sprouted to 6-foot-7 by the time she was 15, the tallest girl many in her small village had ever seen. The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association said in a statement Friday it approved the . - Karen Hatch, Eastside Catholic, Marketing and Communications Director. Wealthy celebrities and business executives allegedly paid small fortunes to rig their kids SAT scores, bribe coaches and gain entrance to elite colleges, in some cases taking tax deductions for bribes disguised as charitable donations. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? Here's why. Gregory Cooper, the Eastside athletic director cut loose, says he was an 'easy target' and made a scapegoat. ", Andrea Aquino (far right) plays in a game with Paterson Eastside this season. Four players from three continents -- all bound by the same dream and pitch: Leave your friends and family behind, travel thousands of miles and use basketball to find a better life. undefined Paterson Eastside High School basketball scandal From news that six overseas players were living with the boys coach to the discovery of an international pipeline funneling. "No, I'm not her legal guardian," Ayala said when reached by phone earlier this year. He is heard saying, "This is what happens when you cross the border illegally." All rights reserved. "A coach is supposed to be like another father to you," Ortiz said. Marlene Gamas, left, and advisor Christine Kelley brainstorm at Boyle Heights Beat for a story about the college admissions scandal. The Vaqueros are a proud franchise in the country's top basketball league, and as their first-round draft pick this season, Rodriguez, a 6-foot-7 point guard, can carve out a nice career here. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism. For Andrea and fellow Boyle Heights Beat reporters, news of the $25-million college entrance racketeering scandal hit like a gut punch. He left Paterson midway through the season and returned to Puerto Rico. "I don't want him to coach again," Ortiz said from the arena in Bayamon. Neither do we. Blessing Ejiofor landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport in February 2014, working through a mental checklist of her new life in North Carolina. Seattle Times staff reporter On the night of April 20, 2018, five players from Eastside Catholic's powerhouse high school football team rode through Bellevue in a pickup with a 16-year-old. Ejiofor, then 15, had made her own arrangements, navigating the complicated immigration process. Read more: http://nj-ne.ws/lHtJWSq. "We just needed one college scout to come and visit him, but nobody ever came. Luis says he reads up on the college application process and what his peers say about their experiences. We have now invited the administrators and faculty to rejoin us on the first day of school. See the documents, African players are flocking to top N.J. basketball teams. What sort of activities are the feds looking into in connection with all of this? A KIRO 7 crew went to Eastside Catholic to try to talk to administrators and was told to leave. As we exclusively reported on July 23, 2020, allegations ofserious financial irregularitiesatthe prestigiousThornblade Clubpromptedan investigationby the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) an agency with broad jurisdictional authority when it comes to cyber-enabled financial crimes.. They already have money and they have resources, and they still had to do these things to get into college? asked Andrea, who gets up early to catch a 6 a.m. bus to school, gets home after dinnertime and still has a few hours of homework each night. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. It's still unclear what sparked the altercation. Two years later, a newspaper named him West Virginia's Player of the Year -- his father proudly holds up the story for all to see. 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