Hot Dog Money - by Guy Lawson

About the Book

When the federal government catches hotshot financial adviser Louis Martin "Marty" Blazer defrauding his NFL-player clients, it's time to come clean. He has no reasonable defense. What he has is a bigger story to spill to the feds--that of a multibillion-dollar conspiracy that exploits the most talented college athletes and implicates one of the most popular entertainment industries in the nation. The DOJ is listening, and the truth could literally set Marty free. All he has to do is prove that the NCAA is a vast ongoing scam. Sent undercover by the FBI, Marty infiltrates the innermost circles of college basketball, a high-flying world of Miami clubs, New York luxury suites, and Las Vegas back rooms. Over a period of three years, covertly recording thousands of hours of conversations with coaches from many of the leading college teams, Marty reveals a large-scale epidemic of deception, bribery, and fraud within the NCAA. The stars seem aligned for the operation--if only Marty can keep the FBI itself from blowing the case. Journalist Guy Lawson digs deep into a true story about the lure of celebrity, sports, wealth, and crime, and the motivations of a man--on both sides of the law--who exploded a land mine of systemic all-American corruption.

Book Synopsis

The New York Times bestselling author of War Dogs exposes the inside story of disgraced fraudster turned undercover FBI informant Marty Blazer and the greatest scandal in the history of the NCAA.

When the federal government catches hotshot financial adviser Louis Martin "Marty" Blazer defrauding his NFL-player clients, it's time to come clean. He has no reasonable defense. What he has is a bigger story to spill to the feds--that of a multibillion-dollar conspiracy that exploits the most talented college athletes and implicates one of the most popular entertainment industries in the nation. The DOJ is listening, and the truth could literally set Marty free. All he has to do is prove that the NCAA is a vast ongoing scam.

Sent undercover by the FBI, Marty infiltrates the innermost circles of college basketball, a high-flying world of Miami clubs, New York luxury suites, and Las Vegas back rooms. Over a period of three years, covertly recording thousands of hours of conversations with coaches from many of the leading college teams, Marty reveals a large-scale epidemic of deception, bribery, and fraud within the NCAA. The stars seem aligned for the operation--if only Marty can keep the FBI itself from blowing the case.

Journalist Guy Lawson digs deep into a true story about the lure of celebrity, sports, wealth, and crime, and the motivations of a man--on both sides of the law--who exploded a land mine of systemic all-American corruption.

Review Quotes

"A jaw-dropping, stomach-turning tour of the corruption that flourished in college basketball's pre-NIL monopsony." --George WIll, The Washington Post

"[A] Goodfellas story...Hot Dog Money cross-examines the seedy culture that created [Marty Blazer] and still makes college sports the major American spectacle that it is." --The Guardian

"[A] lively read...Lawson, a dogged investigative journalist, vividly tells the story of the three years Blazer spent working undercover to prove the NCAA plot was a 'multibillion-dollar scam'...Lawson is adept at building momentum and has a sharp eye for cinematic detail." --The Washington Post

"Lawson carefully balances Blazer's self-aggrandizement with details of his fraudulent activities, and convincingly argues that the case 'held up a mirror to important American institutions...reaping huge profits on the backs of kids playing the sports they love.' This thoroughly reported deep dive impresses." --Publishers Weekly

"[E]xcellent...[an] evenhanded portrayal of a flawed subject." --Booklist

"Lawson thoughtfully explores corruption in this excellent book. His evenhanded portrayal of a flawed subject illustrates how Blazer functioned as just one of many operators in an unprincipled environment in which rampant exploitation of youth is enabled." --Kirkus Reviews

"An inherently fascinating, riveting, detailed account of college basketball corruption and organized crime, Hot Dog Money deserves as wide a readership as possible and must be considered essential reading for the legions of fans with respect to college basketball and a 'must' for readers with an interest in contemporary organized crime." --Midwest Book Review

Praise for Guy Lawson

Octopus

"Lawson has found gold...a fantastic story, in both senses of the word, with a freshness that recalls Liar's Poker." --The New York Times

"I was riveted by Mr. Lawson's telling...The story is mind-boggling." --Andrew Sorkin, The New York Times (DealBook)

"Lawson's reporting is prodigious." --Fortune

"Brings to life one of the most colorful, and often engaging, con men of this or any other century...an entertaining, well-told tale." --The Washington Times

"Lawson nimbly traverses the labyrinthine depths...a harrowing thrill ride into the unraveling mind of a desperate operator." --Kirkus Reviews

War Dogs

"The reporting is incredible." --MSNBC's The Cycle

"Guy Lawson has done a miraculous job...a glorious piece of investigative journalism." --Florida Weekly

"Lawson's eye for detail and extensive research are commendable." --Publishers Weekly