Federal prosecutors launch criminal probe into Los Angeles Clippers salary-cap scandal

Federal prosecutors have begun a criminal inquiry into the Los Angeles Clippers after the NBA imposed severe penalties for salary-cap circumvention involving star forward Kawhi Leonard. The league’s punishment consists of a $30 million fine, a year-long suspension of owner Steve Ballmer, forfeiture of five first-round draft selections, and temporary bans for business operations chief Gillian Zucker and basketball operations chief Lawrence Frank.

Leonard was ordered to pay $700,000 to the NBA, while his uncle and former business manager Dennis Robertson was barred from NBA business dealings for five years. The federal probe’s scope and the individuals under investigation remain unclear, and neither the Clippers nor the NBA have responded to inquiries. The team has announced it will vigorously contest the league’s findings, but the criminal investigation raises the stakes dramatically.