Hunter
05/02/24
Newly obtained emails shared within the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation are providing more insight into why and how their agents gathered evidence against University of Iowa and Iowa State University athletes in their sports betting probe.
WHO TV reports that DCI agents believed state code permitted them to use the software program Kibana, which is used by the Racing and Gaming Commission to track online sports betting, to cast a broad net to identify who was placing wagers.
Story County prosecutor Tyler Grimm and a DCI special agent exchanged emails in September 2022 that featured Grimm explaining that a warrant was needed to obtain certain information they were after. No warrant was issued and the agents used the geo-fencing program to collect evidence.
In February 2023, investigators determined crimes were being committed and urged prosecution. Superiors reportedly agreed, but noted that although their unit was assembled to hold people and sports books accountable, the prosecution of student-athletes may ruffle some feathers.
A month later, correspondence indicated some agents believed that arbitrarily picking locations to gather information may lead to legal challenges.
GeoComply, the company that developed the Kibana geo-fencing software, has already publicy stated the way DCI agents used their software was inappropriate.
DPS Commissioner Stephan Bayens released a statement in March this year saying he stands behind the investigation and the agents who did the work.