Couple Charged For ‘Fraudulent’ Sexual Assault Claim Against College Basketball Coach

A woman’s claim that Georgia Tech head basketball coach Josh Pastner sexually assaulted her in a hotel room three years ago has resulted in the woman and her boyfriend — a former friend of Pastner — getting slapped with a series of criminal charges by Arizona prosecutors, who say the couple conspired in a “fraud scheme” to level a false accusation against the coach in order to obtain settlement money.

“According to Oro Valley Magistrate Court records, Ron Bell, Pastner’s former friend, was charged Friday with providing false information to law enforcement and facilitation of a fraud scheme practice,” ESPN’s Mark Schlabach reported Tuesday. “Bell and his girlfriend, Jennifer Pendley, are accused of being ‘engaged in a plan or scheme … to allege a false, fraudulent accusation of sexual assault against Josh Pastner with the goal of obtaining an anticipated civil monetary settlement/judgment.'”