The storied New York Gauchos program welcomes back veteran head coach Emmanuel “Book” Richardson to the sidelines this summer. Richardson last coached the Gauchos in 2007 and he was also a director of the program. Richardson's passion for the game is what brought him back home to where he started. Richardson spoke with NYCHoops.net about the past three years and why he returned home.

The past three years have been a rocky road for the coach. Richardson’s return to the AAU scene was not planned. Only three years ago he was a nine-year veteran assistant coach at the prestigious Arizona Wildcats program. A dream job for many in the college coaching business. However, an unexpected turn of events led Richardson down a path he did not expect.

In 2017, Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation announced the arrest of ten individuals. The arrest included Division I NCAA men’s basketball coaches, and a senior executive at a major athletic apparel company.

Richardson was one of the D1 coaches named in the document which stated he took cash bribes in exchange to influence and direct college players to financial advisors and sport agents. Richardson was facing up to 60 years in prison and $1.5 million in fines if convicted on all charges.

Open Book: Emmanuel Richardson (Part II)