BOULDER, Colo. -- The University of Colorado athletic
department may be tied to an incident involving an escort service,
police said Friday.
Police are investigating allegations that a Boulder-area escort
service was involved in criminal activity at a Broomfield hotel in
connection with the CU football program.
Police Sgt. Dan Schuler said the athletic department may be
involved, but declined further comment.
The university's football program is at the center of a scandal
in which the school has been accused of using sex and parties to
entice recruits. Three women who claim they were raped at or just
after an off-campus party for recruits in December 2001 are suing
the university.
Prompted by allegations recently revealed in one of the
lawsuits, university regents have appointed an independent
commission to investigate the recruiting program.
University officials have denied the allegations.
CU athletics department spokesman Dave Plati said the school was
"totally blindsided" by the latest accusations and declined to
comment.
David Hansburg, head of football operations at CU, was expected
to talk to reporters late Friday.
KUSA-TV in Denver reported that a woman who made the allegations
said an employee of the CU football office paid thousands of
dollars in cash for adult entertainment services at a local hotel,
possibly the Omni Interlocken.
She said she was contacted numerous times between 2002 and 2003.
The woman told KUSA that escorts thought their clients seemed
"awfully young."
Broomfield police received information Tuesday from the Boulder
County sheriff's office about the escort service.
A manager at the Omni Interlocken said, "We're not supposed to
comment on anything about the hotel. Thanks, and don't bother our
staff."
A message left Friday night for corporate management at Omni
Hotels was not returned.