The Iowa Department of Public Safety fired back at recent legal filings suggesting a sports betting investigation into college athletes in the state was done unlawfully.
In recent weeks, several lawyers have claimed that investigations conducted by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (a subdivision of the Department of Public Safety) claimed the investigation targeted student athletes at Iowa and Iowa State and that athletes had their gambling activity monitored without a warrant.
The Department of Public Safety disagrees, arguing the evidence was obtained legally.
“The Department traditionally does not comment on active investigations or litigation in an effort to ensure these matters are appropriately addressed by our justice system rather than the media,” the statement said. “We believe the evidence was obtained in a constitutionally permissible manner. Ultimately it is up to the courts to decide. We want to reassure Iowans that the Department always strives to scrupulously uphold the laws and constitutions of the United States and the State of Iowa.”
Iowa State defensive linemen Isaiah Lee’s attorney, Van Plumb, recently filed a legal motion on behalf of Lee. The defensive lineman left the Iowa State team prior to the 2023 season due to his betting violations that were uncovered in the DCI investigation.
In addition to alleging the investigation took place without a warrant, Plumb argued (by citing a DCI deposition) that agents investigating the case misled student athletes to believe the betting investigation focused on betting operators like FanDuel, when in reality it targeted individual bettors.
