A federal judge on Thursday resentenced onetime sports agent Lloyd Bloom to five years probation, instead of prison, in connection with charges he had fraudulently represented college football stars.
Under terms of the probation imposed by U.S. District Judge George Marovich, Bloom must perform 500 hours of community service.
Bloom, now a Hollywood talent agent, pleaded guilty to a charge of mail fraud for inducing Rod Woodson, a cornerback at Purdue, to falsely claim on an athletic eligibility form that he wasn`t represented by a sports agent.
Woodson and 42 other athletes, in fact, had been represented by Bloom and co-defendant Norby Walters, in violation of NCAA rules, according to testimony at their trial more than two years ago.
Assistant U.S. Atty. Helene Greenwald said Thursday that Woodson received $4,336 in scholarship funds but that he wasn`t eligible for the money as a student athlete. Woodson now plays professionally for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Bloom originally was sentenced to three years in prison in 1990 after a jury found him guilty of racketeering, a more serious charge. That conviction was set aside on appeal, paving the way for Thursday`s court hearing and resentencing.
