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Attorneys for more than two dozen former student-athletes at Iowa and Iowa State have filed a federal lawsuit claiming their constitutional rights were violated by state authorities during a sports wagering probe.
The lawsuit alleges the actions of the Division of Criminal Investigation and Department of Public Safety caused “deprivation of their constitutional rights” along with emotional distress and punitive damages.
The lawsuit follows months of controversy surrounding the investigation. Attorneys publicly pushed back on the charges in January, claiming Special Agent Brian Sanger, with the Division of Criminal Investigation, conducted a “warrantless search” by placing a GeoFence around certain dorms to investigate underage gambling. State lawmakers joined the discussion, saying the investigation caused “deep concerns about our Iowans’ right to privacy.”
The Department of Public Safety released a statement defending its actions, saying it “conferred with legal counsel to ensure lawful access to and use of the technology. Two county attorney offices also reviewed all relevant investigative information before making the ultimate decision to file charges.”
Attorneys for the plaintiffs also claimed in February that the DCI had lost access to the GeoFence software after the company behind it learned “DCI may have exceeded the intended outline scope” of its access.
In March, the state ultimately dismissed charges against four Iowa State student-athletes.
The DCI declined to comment on pending litigation.
More than two dozen student-athletes were named as plaintiffs in the federal lawsuit.
The full lawsuit can be seen here.
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