InvestigateTV - THIS WEEK ON INVESTIGATETV: Public universities are firing losing coaches, paying millions of dollars to buy out their contracts. The national investigative team breaks down the big spenders – and looks at the finances of college sports. Consumer Investigator Rachel DePompa explains how hackers are targeting online gamers and using their accounts to access financial information. Plus, a look into doping in horse racing and Consumer Investigator Caresse Jackman warns of banking related scams. WHERE TO WATCH
ICYMI – Watch last week’s episode
Big Bucks, Big Buyouts: For many college coaches, it pays to get fired. Since the fall of 2004, Division I public universities have paid out more than $1.1 billion to hundreds of coaches in every sport who were let go, largely, because their teams did not win enough. Critics argue that money coming in from donors, and in some cases student fees, could have been allocated to and paid for other expenses – from scholarships to academic supplies. For example, Kansas fired four coaches between 2011 and 2020 and paid them and their staff more than $27.8 million in severance payments, even as the university faced budget deficits and academic cuts. The national investigative team breaks down the big spenders – and looks at the finances of college sports.
Game Over: Video games were a $60 billion industry last year in the U.S. and according to the Entertainment Software Association, more than 215 million Americans play video games at least once a week. But with more active gamers online, hackers are targeting sensitive information to take over accounts and defraud players. A report by Norton LifeLock showed that of the American adults who currently play online games, almost half experienced a cyberattack to their gaming account or device. Of those surveyed, 76% reported they lost an average of $744. Consumer Investigator Rachel DePompa talks to experts about the rise of scams happening within gaming and how you can protect yourself and your children from falling victim.
Betting on Change: Horseracing has had its share of scandals in recent years – with horses drugged and even dying. This summer marks the beginning of a new federal oversight program for thoroughbred horseracing – the head of the new program came from the NFL where she handled anti-doping enforcement there. Many in the racing industry want this change and see it as a positive for the sport – while others, particularly in the harness racing industry, are refusing to participate. We compiled a database with years of records from each racing state to look at the history of horseracing sanctions and the thousands of horse deaths across the country. We dig into the trainers and the tracks – and talk to industry insiders about the current and future state of racing and safety.
Watching Your Wallet: If you get an unexpected text or call from what appears to be your bank you may want to beware. Financial institutions are warning their customers about imposters posing as bankers and costing people hundreds of dollars. In this Watching your Wallet, Consumer Investigator Caresse Jackman identifies the red flags you need to know when it comes to banking scams.
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