Iowa
Iowa investigators in student sports betting probe defend investigation tactics
Iowa’s Department of Public Safety says it believes its investigation into gambling at Iowa State University and University of Iowa was constitutional, amid allegations from defense attorneys the state failed to obtain warrants before searching for on-campus use of cell phone betting apps.
More than 20 current and former Iowa and Iowa State athletes and student managers have been charged with identity theft and other crimes related to allegedly using other people’s accounts to make online wagers through apps like FanDuel. Many have pleaded guilty to reduced charges of underage gambling, while others continue to fight their cases. Defendants also have faced NCAA investigations and sanctions.
In recent weeks, attorneys for the remaining defendants have accused investigators of wrongdoing. In particular, defense attorney Van Plumb alleged in court filings that the lead case agent, Brian Sanger, who used software to search for any uses of gambling apps within University of Iowa dorms and athletic facilities, failed to obtain a warrant and acted without any tips or complaints of criminal activity.
Officials defend sports gambling investigation in rare statement
In a statement Wednesday, the DPS responded to those claims, saying that investigators “conferred with legal counsel to ensure lawful access to and use of the technology” and that “we believe the evidence was obtained in a constitutionally permissible manner.”
Federal law prohibits sports betting across state lines, and under Iowa law, sportsbooks are required to implement “location detection procedures” to prevent gamblers from placing wagers outside their registered states. The companies also are required to take “reasonable steps” to prevent athletes, coaches and others involved in sporting events from gambling on them.
Such rules have led many sportsbooks to employ services such as GeoComply, which uses phone location data to detect and report where a wager is placed from. Attorneys for the Iowa athletes accuse Sanger of using similar software to identify all wagers made from university buildings, resulting in lists of what they say were “hundreds” of accounts for which investigators then subpoenaed records.
The department says the software in question was made available to its Division of Criminal Investigation “to help identify anomalies suggesting suspicious or criminal activity” but does not say whether the department was aware of any such anomalies prior to conducting the searches.
The statement also comes after repeated requests from the Register for comment on the defendants’ recent court filings. It acknowledges that DPS “traditionally does not comment on active investigations or litigation” but says the department wants “to reassure Iowans that the Department always strives to scrupulously uphold the laws and constitutions of the United States and the State of Iowa.”
Attorneys for several of the defendants did not have any immediate comment on the DPS’ statement.
Statement silent on allegation DCI officials lied to their own agents about probe
The statement did not address the most explosive allegation to arise in the case: that DCI officials lied to their own agents to push forward the controversial investigation.
Defense attorney Christopher Sandy on Jan. 23 filed a motion seeking records of possible misconduct by investigators. It cited a Jan. 19 deposition in which DCI Special Agent Mark Ludwick testified that he and other agents were dispatched May 2, 2023, to interview a number of Iowa State students. Ludwick said Special Agent in Charge Troy Nelson briefed them that the investigation was “purely administrative” and the targets were online gambling operators like FanDuel and DraftKings.
Ludwick was assigned to interview Iowa State football player Isaiah Lee, now a client of Sandy’s charged with tampering with records, and testified he assured Lee he was not a target of the investigation and didn’t face any consequences, leading Lee to tell him about his online gambling. Afterward, Ludwick said, Nelson “congratulated” him “for obtaining a confession.”
“Contrary to representations made to him and other Special Agents that morning, Special Agent Ludwick realized the purpose of the investigation was criminal in nature, with the sole targets being male Division I student athletes at the University of Iowa and Iowa State University,” Sandy wrote. “Special Agent Ludwick advised his superiors that he would no longer participate in the investigation, and requested reassignment.”
The full transcript of Ludwick’s testimony has yet to be made public.
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird has said she wasn’t concerned about the DCI investigation, and referred questions about its conduct to the Department of Public Safety. The DPS has not responded to requests for comment.
Additional sports gambling charges disclosed
Also Wednesday, the DCI released a list of all defendants who have been charged in the investigation, totaling 16 current or former ISU students and eight from University of Iowa. A number of the ISU cases, brought in 2023 by the Story County Attorney’s Office, had not previously been reported, including:
- Drew Woodley, wrestling.
- Osun Osunniyi, basketball.
- Howard Brown, football.
- Nathan Schon, wrestling.
- Jeremiah ‘Trey’ Mathis, football.
- Tyler Claiborne, football.
- Edwardo Lemos, football.
Also charged in Story County is Jacob English. The Register was unable to confirm English’s college affiliation.
Of these cases, all but one have been resolved, with the defendants receiving citations for underage gambling. Ossuniyi, who is now playing in Belgium, failed to make a scheduled initial appearance in September, resulting in a warrant being issued for his arrest.
Brown has since transferred to Boise State, while Woodley, Schon, Claiborne and Lemos remain listed on ISU rosters but do not appear to have competed in 2023.
William Morris covers courts for the Des Moines Register. He can be contacted at wrmorris2@registermedia.com or 715-573-8166.
LAURENS, Iowa (IOWA CAPITAL DISPATCH) – An Iowa man is taking Nintendo and Pokémon Company International to federal court for allegedly refusing to grant him “Pokémon Professor” status.
Kyle Owens, 34, of Laurens is suing Nintendo of America and its affiliate, Pokémon Company International, in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, alleging federal anti-trust actions that violate the Sherman Act.
The lawsuit seeks a court order and injunction that would grant Owens $341,000 in damages and award him Pokémon Professor certification, restore his access to “official Pokémon Professor tools” and enable him to host Pokémon events.
Pokémon is a Japanese franchise, aimed primarily at children, that includes trading cards, video games and movies involving a fictional universe populated by species that possess special powers. The franchise gained worldwide popularity in the late 1990s, but continues to be embraced today by children as well as adult collectors and gamers.
“The Pokémon Professor program is not merely recreational,” the lawsuit alleges. “It functions as a structured certification and authorization system, granting official status, access to official event tools, the ability to host sanctioned card and video-game matches, listing in an event locator, and opportunities that generate business traffic, customer attendance, product sales, good will and commercial advantage.”
Owens’ lawsuit alleges that on March 12, 2024, Pokémon Company International informed him he had passed the basic exam for the rank of Professor of Pokémon with a score of 100%.
Court exhibits indicate the notice informing Owens he had passed the exam also stated that before he could be welcomed into the program and take his “first steps as a Pokémon Professor,” he would need to submit to a background check.
The exhibits, made public in Owens’ court filings, indicate the background check conducted on behalf of the defendants determined there was a pending arrest warrant, issued by another state in 2022, for failing to appear in court on misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct by engaging in fighting; possessing, repairing or selling an offensive weapon; and criminal mischief through damage to property.
On May 6, 2024, Pokémon Company International wrote to Owens, informing him that his “application to the professor program has been denied after reviewing the results of your background check.” The letter indicated that once the background check was completed, it was determined he had scored 80% on the exam and failed the test for professor status.
In his lawsuit, Owens claims he was initially denied certification due to an “old, low-level felony that was more than 10 years old,” and that the stated rationale for his denial was later changed to the three misdemeanor charges that do “not show guilty findings.”
The lawsuit claims the defendants’ denial of his certification as a Professor of Pokémon does not merely harm Owens personally but also reduces competition and consumer access by eliminating a qualified, Iowa-based event host from the official, organized-play system associated with Pokémon.
The defendants have yet to file a response to the lawsuit.
Copyright 2026 IOWA CAPITAL DISPATCH. All rights reserved.
KINGSLEY, Iowa (KTIV) – Plymouth County Emergency Management says the city of Kingsley, Iowa, has sustained significant damage after the severe weather on Sunday, May 17.
In a press release, officials say all people are being turned away from entering Kingsley, and numerous power lines have fallen. Management says Kingsley residents are strongly encouraged to stay indoors until routes are cleared and power lines are restored.
If you are a Kingsley resident or in the immediate area, call the Plymouth County Communications Center’s non-emergency line at (712)-546-8191.
Emergency Management says updates will be posted to the Plymouth County Emergency Management Facebook page.
Want to get the latest news and weather from Siouxland’s News Source? Follow these links to download our KTIV News app and our First Alert Weather app.
Copyright 2026 KTIV. All rights reserved.
The Iowa State Cyclones have had quite the offseason. They lost Matt Campbell, Rocco Becht, and the majority of the roster, with many heading to Happy Valley to join the Penn State Nittany Lions. After years of consistency and greatness amongst the Big 12 conference, they now look in a completely different situation. Now, they have to save the program.
Over the last few seasons, Iowa State’s face of the program has been their quarterbacks. Outside of one solid Hunter Dekkers year, the last couple of years have been dominated by the likes of Becht and Brock Purdy. But with Becht now out the door, they have to look to the next best option.
The general consensus around the Cyclones is that their offseason was terrible. Partially that was true. But the players that Iowa State brought in aren’t as bad as people may think, and one name especially, takes the crown as the best offseason addition.
Jaylen Raynor is Key
The Cyclones brought in Jaylen Raynor, a three-year starter from the Arkansas State Red Wolves. He looks like he may be the savior of the program.
Raynor was a solid player as a freshman, having 2,550 yards, 17 touchdowns, and seven interceptions throughout the year. The potential was limitless right off the bat. He stayed for a second year, improving his numbers to 2,783 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Then finally in his junior year, he once again bumped them up, this time to 3,361 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
Raynor has been consistent throughout his collegiate career, and needs to continue that at Iowa State.
To be completely honest, the Cyclones are in a rough situation. Their roster is pretty sub-par, and a lot of their pieces aren’t near the expectations that Iowa State have. One of the only players that can really put everything together is Raynor, one of the most proven veterans of them all.
Raynor has to be the leader of the Cyclones. Everyone is coming in from different programs from different areas at different levels. When that happens, a quarterback needs to come in and lead his team by bringing the locker room together.
Iowa State’s season doesn’t just change depending on Raynor, it’s defined by him. A veteran leader that has consistently proven to shine now gets one last chance with a new program, where he has the opportunity to save the history, the success, and the pride of the Cyclones.
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