COLONIE — An investigation by Siena College of basketball coach Jimmy Patsos has expanded beyond allegations that he mistreated a student manager and is also examining whether Patsos or other coaches improperly withheld per diem payments from players and team aides.

Several people familiar with the situation said players and others told investigators retained by the school their signatures appeared to have been forged on per diem vouchers, which indicated they received cash payments that were never given to them.

The school gives players and team aides money for meals while traveling or attending basketball events when classes are not in session.

More for you News Siena's Patsos under investigation

The investigation began in February when a student manager who has a mental disorder filed a complaint with the school accusing Patsos of calling him "insane" and referring to him as "the Unabomber."

The initial investigation was handled by Siena's Title IX coordinator, who is responsible for ensuring the school complies with federal regulations and does not engage in discrimination. The investigation of the student manager's complaint led to the discovery of the per diem abuse allegations.

The student was interviewed by investigators recently and shown roughly 10 per diem vouchers that apparently included his forged signature, according to two people with knowledge of the matter. The cash payments ranged from $40 to $380, but the student manager had not received most of the payments and only $100 from the voucher that indicated he received $380, the sources said.

The student manager declined comment when contacted by the Times Union on Thursday.

On Thursday evening, after the Times Union published a story online about the broader investigation, the school issued a statement confirming the probe has expanded.

"The investigation was initiated when the college received an allegation of discriminatory conduct. The scope of our investigation has since broadened," said the statement from Mike Demos, assistant athletic director for communications. "Siena is committed to conducting a fair, thorough and impartial investigation and must do so in confidence to protect the rights of all involved and preserve the integrity of the inquiry. An update will be issued to the college community and the public at the conclusion of the investigation."

Players who were interviewed by investigators — attorneys with the law firm Bond, Schoeneck & King — had allegedly witnessed some of Patsos' comments to the student manager and also said they had not received all the per diem payments to which they were entitled.

One person familiar with the team said that coaches had on one occasion last season underpaid players and others, giving them $6 payments to reflect that the team had only six wins at the time.

Last November, the person said, Pete Durr, director of basketball operations, had allegedly told players and aides when they were at an airport in Charleston, S.C., that they wouldn't be paid their per diems that day because the coaches had spent the money on a large bar tab.

In a phone call Thursday to a Times Union reporter, Patsos indicated he had "nothing but love for the players and the managers and we'll talk about the rest tomorrow. ... Special place in my heart in my 29 years of coaching for the managers."

Patsos — who said he was in Washington, D.C. — plans to publicly address the situation on Friday afternoon at a location off campus.

Under Patsos, the Saints' on-court performance went south in 2017-18, with the Saints going 8-24, the worst record in Patsos' five-year tenure as head coach and the same mark Siena posted by Mitch Buonaguro, Patsos' predecessor, in his final season. Pastos' record at Siena is 77-92.

Mark Grimm, a public relations executive and alumnus who also runs a radio show focusing on alumni, said those who are involved in the basketball program have complained about Patsos’ volatility, but were typically afraid to speak up.

But Patsos also has his defenders.

“I saw a guy who loved coaching and who truly cared about his kids,” said Mark Zinno, an Atlanta sports talk radio host who got his start when he broadcast basketball shows for Loyola University in Baltimore, where Patsos previously coached.

“Jimmy always wanted to make everybody better," Zinno said. "He’s a guy who believes in that.”

Mark Singelais and Leif Skodnick contributed reporting.