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Fraud trial cancelled for former college standout Dirk Minniefield

Dirk Minniefield

Dirk Minniefield, a standout player at Kentucky in the late 1970s and early 1980s, will enroll in a federal diversion program to avoid a fraud trial in Texas, the Associated Press is reporting.

The trial stems from an alleged $10 million mortgage scheme that now has Minniefield, 51, facing one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and eight counts of wire fraud.

According to the Associated Press, documents allege that “Minniefield, while working as a real estate agent, represented buyers without meeting them and that the buyers never visited the properties they were buying.”

His lawyer maintains that he did not intend to act maliciously and, instead, was caught up with bad business partners.

Minniefield will return to court in January of 2014, following the conclusion of his 18-month program.

''He’s got to stay out of trouble,’' his lawyer, Steven Rosen, told the AP. ''There’s no drinking, there’s no bars, there’s no nothing. And they could have him speak before high school kids or college kids, or whatever they need, he’s got to do it. He’s got to prove to the U.S. government that he can conduct himself like everybody else does, and abide by the law.’'

The program mostly involves community service work.

Minniefield played at Kentucky for four seasons from 1979-83, with his best season coming in 1981-82 when he averaged 11.3 points and 6.3 assists per game.

He was drafted in the second round of the 1983 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks.

To read the full report from the Associated Press, click here.

Daniel Martin is a writer and editor at JohnnyJungle.com, covering St. John’s. You can find him on Twitter:@DanielJMartin_