Ohio State tailback Maurice Clarett admits exaggerating the value of items he reported stolen from a car he was driving. As the NCAA investigates, school officials announced Clarett will be held out of preseason practice.
``Clarett will not participate in preseason football camp until, and unless, all issues related to his eligibility regarding his amateur status have been resolved,'' athletic director Andy Geiger and coach Jim Tressel said in a news release.
The NCAA has investigated a police report filed by Clarett claiming cash and thousands of dollars of stereo equipment owned by him were stolen from the car he was driving.
The school's release included an apology from Clarett in connection with events related to the theft, and a statement from Clarett's attorney, Scott Schiff, said the car was a borrowed vehicle and that Clarett exaggerated the value of some items reported stolen from it.
``Many of the expensive items identified in the report did not belong to Maurice, but belonged to the vehicle owner,'' Schiff said in the release. ``Maurice did exaggerate and inflate the values he placed upon the reported items.''
Clarett has been under investigation by the NCAA in recent weeks, and the April police report was the subject of meetings NCAA officials had with Clarett earlier this month, Geiger said.
The stolen property is just part of the investigation, Geiger added.
