Grand jury investigating Louisville basketball sex scandal

IBJ Book Publishing officials have been subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury investigating allegations that a University of Louisville men's basketball program official hired strippers and prostitutes to entertain players and recruits, company officials confirmed Friday.

The subpeona was issued by the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney in Jefferson County, Kentucky.

IBJ Book Publishing Publisher Patricia Keiffner said company officials are to appear before the grand jury Nov. 5, but declined to provide any other details, including if the company would turn over any of its notes, cell phone records or other materials accumulated in the production of the book, “Breaking Cardinal Rules: Basketball and the Escort Queen.”

Michael Maurer, co-owner of IBJ Media, which owns IBJ Book Publishing and its sister company, the Indianapolis Business Journal, said the book publishing firm "will cooperate with all legitimate inquiries."

"I haven't read the subpeona yet, so you've caught me a little early," Maurer told IBJ Friday afternoon. "But we've been trying to be helpful. We've already volunteered to cooperate with the University of Louisville's inquiry."

"Breaking Cardinal Rules," which was published earlier this month, was co-written by former stripper and escort Katina Powell, who said she supplied strippers and prostitutes for gatherings attended by Louisville basketball players and recruits.

Those 22 gatherings occurred between 2010 and 2014, and all but one of them were held at an on-campus dorm, according to Powell. She said the gatherings were organized by former University of Louisville basketball staffer Andre McGee.

Earlier this month, ESPN reported that five former University of Louisville basketball players and recruits said they attended parties at a campus dorm from 2010 to 2014 that included strippers paid for by McGee. CBS Sports reported this month that former Louisville recruit JaQuan Lyle confirmed parts of Powell's story in discussions with NCAA investigators looking into the matter.

Powell thus far has not been subpeoned, according to her attorney.

“Kentucky grand jury proceedings are secret, and Kentucky law prohibits anyone who has received a grand jury subpoena from commenting. However, as of this moment, Ms. Powell has not received any subpoena from the Commonwealth or any other government agency," Larry Wilder, Powell's attorney, who is based in Jeffersonville, told ESPN on Friday.

A spokesman for the Commonwealth's Attorney Thomas B. Wine declined to comment Friday.

Several investigations are ongoing as a result of Powell's book, including one by the Indianapolis-based NCAA and another involving the Louisville campus police, Louisville Metro Police and the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office.

The University of Louisville Foundation hired a law firm to review the allegations. The university athletic department launched its investigation immediately after being notified about the allegations in August.