Coastal Carolina University Department of Public Safety Report of Criminal Investigation TO: Case Filet 20170471 FROM: Inv. Michelyn Pylilo RE: llegations about CCU Cheer INTRODUCTION On 3/13/17 at approximately 1600 hours Chief David Roper and I met with the President David DeCenzo, University Counsel Tim Meacham and Associate University Counsel Katherine Brooks, Cheerleading Coaches Marla Sage and Kelly Moore, Athletic Director Matt Hogue and Game day Appreciation Department Alex Souza, Title IX Coordinator Denise Perez and Assistant Dean of Student Conduct Erin McDonald were also present. The meeting was in reference to five anonymous letters that were mailed to ccu. The letter alleges that CCU Cheerleaders are operating an escort service and are working in strip clubs, prostituting themselves. They are also trying to entice younger cheerleaders todo the same. Older cheerleaders are providing alcohol at parties and foreing younger, underage, cheerleaders to drink. The letter alleges that cheerleaders are paying others to do their school work for them. If the younger cheerleaders don’t oblige then are harassed and not “accepted” on the team, In the letter, the person threatens to go public with the information, in an attempt to humiliate and discredit the University. The letter is signed, “A concerned parent”. (Attachment 1) SUMMARY Further investigation into who sent the anonymous revealed that the letter was mailed from Carolina Forest Post Office and that the person walked right up to the counter. I contacted the Postal Inspector for Horry County, Chad Parnell. Parnell was able to obtain video of the person who mailed the letters. ‘The person was a white, male, heavy set. He appeared to have salt and pepper colored hair. The male was wearing a light colored, button down shirt and cargo shorts. He had sunglasses on his head. Attempts to identify the person is continuing.On 3/20/17 I received some information from a source that wishes to remain anonymous. ‘The information was in the form of text conversation between two students, one of them a former CCU Cheerleader. In the text messages, the former cheerleader said that “escort service” is real. (Attachment #2) ‘Through interviews conducted with former and current CCU Cheerleaders, my investigation revealed some of the allegations in the letter were true, } confirmed that were and are currently, did not use their real names and worked through a website called “Seeking Arrangements.com My investigation also confirmed that escorts were paid between $100 and $1500.00 a date. ‘The escorts also received payment in the form of gifts such as clothes, shoes and designer handbags. All interviews were recorded. From a previous case, a search warrant was obtained for hone. It was re-examined, from that examination we found evidence of an escort service. When asked about the “sugar daddy” contacts. ‘old investigator that her and her friends have gone on dates with men for moncy, SMEgpe!so told investigators that sexual favors were not performed. ‘Text conversations between Amy and referencing an escort are attached along with text conversations betwee! and (unknown last name) in reference to sugar daddy’s is also attached. (Attachment #3), A group text that was circulated through the cheerleaders was sent on 3/28/17. That text, referenced the investigation in prostitution and encouraged current cheerleaders to delete their “secking arrangement” application from their phones. It also encouraged those that are working ata strip club to quit their job until Nationals so that no one would be dismissed. (Attachment #4) On 3/28/17 six (6) current cheerleaders were brought to the Public Safety Building and interviewed. Summary is as follows: Knew about the escort service. Had the seeking arrangements app, but did not go on dates for money, id send out the text encouraging her teammates to remove all evidence of the dating app from the phones. Knew about and participated in the escort service. SQ went on a dinner date with' and was paid $100.00. Qjgjguuimy said that there was nothing sexual. Knew abouit and participated in the escort service. QJ said she went on a shopping date along ae they received shoes, clothes and a Micheal Kors purses, so sald that she and QggNBEBP Went on an escort and were paid $1500.00 each. Both incidents took place in North Carolina. Both times they spent the night but there was nothing sexual. Knew and participated in the escort service. Qiggalso works at the Doll House as a shot gir]. qq went on an escort with (NI and received $100.00. Iso was offered $800 to escort a male to New York Prime,GREE £212 204 participated in the escort service. Qggpsaid she went on one escort and was paid $1500.00. QJM accompanied her. This date took place in North Carolina My investigation also revealed that as of a few days ago, potential dates from See! arrangements.com were attempting to communicate and arrange further escorts. Other interviews of the current and former cheerleaders were conducted of those my investigation revealed that 11 knew the escort service existed and 7 did not. Interviews are still being conducted. Michelyn Pylilo, Investigator 6/22/16March 8, 2017 Mr. David A. Decenzo, President Coastal Carolina University ‘Atheneum Hall 101 P.O. Box 261954 Conway, SC-29528-6054 Dear Mr. Decenzo, | am writing you today to file an official complaint against the Coastal Carolina University Cheerleading Team and to insist that punitive action be taken against the team. These problems are not new they have been going on for quite some time. The coaches were only a small part of the problem. | am disgusted over things that | have witnessed this past year at CCU. Yes, the baseball team won the World Series, the football team did great, the soccer team did great, but as you will see in the information I've provided for you there are some serious issues going on at CCU in the Cheerleading Program. There is a rampant use of alcohol, drugs, binge drinking, using fake ID's, being busted by cops at parties for underage drinking, stripping at the male strip clubs, prostitution, the girls that are stripping try recruit new gis, when they join thacheerleading team to strip at the stip club, veterans of the ‘team prgyjde alcglial to underage teammates, bullying is done by veterans of here are quite a few cheerleader’s paying other students to do their schoolwork. The week of Family Weekend, there was a large amount of cheerleaders between the All Girl Team and the Small Coed Team that were busted on 9/21/2016, The party was at a veteran cheerleaders apartment, all the tea of the gitls that attended the party were busted for underage drinking and underage drinking with fake ID's. They did not get arrested because they cooperated. There was at least one of the cheerleader’s was arrested for numerout'charges that was QI she was charged with underagedrinking with a fake ID, and other charges, the other charges were dropped. (QBs kicked off the team but only for a short period of time) All of the gitls involved could not cheer at the Family Weekend CCU game against Furman, However, that was not punishment, they all went to the tailgate and got drunk some even got drunk with their parents (underage girls) for or A oi SN The CCU Cheerleaders should be representing your University in a positive way they should be setting an example for the other students. They should feel honored to be representing your university. Instead they are posting half naked, drunk, with alcohol in hand, pictures, videos of themselves drunk, etc, ‘on social media, How do you think that this makes your university and your cheerleading program look? | want to express there have been several girls to quit the team due to these disgusting issues, A lot of these issues are and have been overlooked way too long. There are a lot of students working extremely hard holding down jobs while going to school doing the right thing then you have people cheating and lying there way to good grades so that they can get drunk and party all the time. Enough is enough, listed below is factual information: 1. These are several of the girls that work at the local Strip Club as strippers. and escorts. They also prostitute themselves out. It is not a wise idea to let the strip clubs bring their van to the games to advertise it does not look appropriate. Being that there are several girls that work as strippers and escorts at strip clubs. They try to recruit other cheerleaders to strip at the club yt and escort by bragging about and flaunting the large amounts of cash money they make and gifts they are given. To name afew the following are stfippers and escorts at strip clubs, and prostitute themselves out: ‘CCU and the local strip club). 2. There are several girls that pay students to do their schoolwork two of the Gils that are doing that arc QI 2 QI There are alsoothers. QQIREEININD dic the summer CEAL Program to get into CCU, she Pays someone to do her work and ironically she ends up on the Dean's list) 3. On September 21, 2016, QEEENEIBBs veteran of the cheerleading team had a party at her apartment where several of the cheerleaders were ‘caught drinking underage and or underage drinking with fake ID's therefore» they could not cheer at cheer at the football game for Family Weekend. These are a few of the cheerleaders: iad just been paced on the team That week, and was unable to cheer at her first game) etc. aD :: arrested at this party attached you wil see the paperwork. @igumamigyas kicked off the team, however it was only for a short period of time. : ie =i just a few girls are using illegal drugs especially smoking pot: 5. These are just a few of the girls providing alcohol for minors: 6 ED: My 21coho! with fe ID and Provide it to other cheerleaders and other students. || know that Coastal Carolina University takes these violations seriously therefore | insist that you take the most severe action allowed in this situation. |1am looking forward to you taking care of this matter so that | do not have bring this matter to the communities attention, the News Stations, NCA Nationals Cheerleading Competition (Varsity Sports). Sincerely, ‘Concemed Parent cc: Matt Hogue, Kelly Moore, Marla SageZ JUDWYIeV017 IMG. 9250.9 (52840) @eee0 Verizon 3G 8:34 PM @ } 54% Bea os |_| bade: cat4t0ee | ‘ritvaamsa pmo a Se eel | sagt | WaT pe a ‘Sint Timer 7/11/2076 4:96.08 PUTO) ri ic cman coors ieee TO mee 1 Baber 2016 40509 euro oe ‘Bia Time: 771172016 4:96:16 PUATUTC-4) Yes agnosie == ‘iat Tos T2078 «3628 FAUTEa) Last Aci: 71172010 4:38:20 PMIUTC-4) one | Body ila: chats a eer Ebner va ‘Start Time: 7/11/2018 4.3640 PMLUTO-4) Last coy: 717201 43-40 PMIUTC-2) Numbor a tachment: 0 Soure: Message: | By: ato 1604[RionranareaaT Yeah fecitie sane way Romi Tore 42040 PMAUTE-A) WO | “Sian Tne: 77112076 43640 PMIUTC-4) ry Catachay 7riaste ene PUTO a= intr act Rd Sacco ec s Ts = Rincoraeayess tte Rea Mido a2e4aemnurc ‘Stat Tne: 771112016 437-00 PMIUTO-#) ae Lat Acviy 71201843700 PA(UTC-4) = iets TS sua anda So Rae vane srw | ‘Sat Tin: 7 vaot6 43700 PACT) vee Laat coy: 7112018437709 CUTE) ed palestine ——— —_ Rent ior6 e700 mature | Parte ‘Start Time: 71412016 4:97:11 PUTO) l= Laat ety: 72018 427:14 PMCUTC-A) ‘Numbor a etachmenis 2 s Se... - | ee Ree Tio ea area ‘iat Tine Tt tabte a7 PUTEm) vee Last cy: 772016 427° PTC) Numero sachets: o a S$ [ears Read ftbve 42721 MTC ‘Sit Time: 7/1112016 437-29 PNUTC-«) Last acy: 717208 42729 PMUTC=8) Number of atch: 0 pomp , | La 1508p JuawYse NyWeranr IMG _ISERY LENG (SAU) © GroupmMe x QQ our has it that we are being investigated be the school has heard things about girls © on the team being involved w prostitution. if you have any kind of seeking arrangement app etc or \ “have worked at/are working at the strip club delete your accountand don't go back until after this season is over. if they find out we are in violation and they will be kicking people off aie: fieilC /UsersinpyiilAppDatal.ocalMicrosofWindowsiINetCachelEIHHUTES6VIIMG_ 096211} PNG un