Multiple reports surfaced on Thursday morning that the Jefferson County grand jury would be hearing evidence involving Katina Powell and Andre McGee.

In her book, “Breaking Cardinal Rules: Basketball and the Escort Queen,” Powell claimed that she hosted 22 stripping and sex parties from 2010 to 2014 at the UofL men’s basketball dormitory and that McGee helped arrange the parties.

Within hours of learning that the the grand jury would hear the evidence that has been compiled since 2015, we learned that the Powell and McGee would not be indicted, due to insufficient evidence.

Below is an official release from the Commonwealth’s Attorney Office.

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After a thorough investigation by the University of Louisville Police Department and a comprehensive review by three prosecutors in the Office of the Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney into possible criminal charges arising out of events documented in Katina Powell’s book, Breaking Cardinal Rules, a Jefferson County grand jury has declined to return an indictment against Katina Powell or Andre McGee. Following a presentation today of the evidence that authorities had been able to compile regarding potential crimes, the grand jury agreed with the advice of the Commonwealth’s Attorney office that there is currently insufficient evidence to bring criminal charges against either person.

In Powell’s book, she stated that she had provided women to entertain high school basketball players being recruited by the University of Louisville basketball program. She stated that these women were provided at the request of McGee, the director of basketball operations at the University of Louisville. The activities, which took place at Minardi Hall on the University of Louisville campus, were alleged to include providing sex to the recruits. Powell further alleged that all of the activities were paid for by McGee.

Upon publication of the book, law enforcement authorities were originally concerned that Powell used under-aged girls to entertain the recruits. Once it was determined that no under-aged girls were used, the investigation focused on Prostitution, Unlawful Transactions with a Minor, and other possible criminal charges. During the investigation, all of the women identified in the book denied having sexual contact with any of the recruits or receiving payment for sex acts. Interviews with recruits revealed that there were instances of sexual contact with unknown women. However, none of the recruits were able to confirm any payments had been made to the women by McGee or anyone else. Nor could the recruits positively identify any of the women with whom they had sexual contact.

After reviewing all of the interviews and evidence, the Commonwealth Attorney’s office concluded that there simply was not the legally required independent corroboration of the allegations made in Powell’s book to justify recommending that Powell or McGee be indicted and to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. Kentucky law requires that a confession of a defendant, unless made in open court, will not support a conviction unless the confession is supported by independent evidence.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Tom Wine stated: “We strongly commend the University of Louisville Police Department for their commitment to investigating whether criminal activity had occurred on the University of Louisville campus during the recruitment of these high school basketball players, but in the final analysis there is not sufficient credible evidence assembled to support bringing criminal charges against these individuals.”

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