COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A lawyer whose emails to Ohio State’s former football coach triggered an ongoing scandal and NCAA investigation is denying he broke any legal misconduct rules.
Attorney Christopher Cicero testified Monday that he never represented or intended to represent a tattoo parlor owner who bought Ohio State memorabilia or traded them for tattoos.
Cicero says the only goal of his meeting with Edward Rife on April 15, 2010, was for Rife to confirm that Rife’s partner, a former client of Cicero, wasn’t involved with drug dealing or memorabilia sales.
Rife pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and money laundering this year.
The Ohio Supreme Court’s Disciplinary Counsel has alleged that Cicero violated professional conduct rules by revealing information from interviews with Rife, a potential client.
