NBA players’ union under investigation by US Attorney’s Office

On the eve of the first NBA Playoffs game, the National Basketball Players Association announced Friday that it is being investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan.

Union Executive Director Billy Hunter was notified of the investigation by a subpoena for documents on April 25, two people with direct knowledge of the situation told Bloomberg. 

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The exact nature of the inquiry is not known, ESPN reported.

The players' union has appointed a six-member special committee consisting of players representatives and executive committee members to oversee an internal inquiry that will include a financial audit, according to Bloomberg.

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The news comes a week after the union’s executive committee asked Derek Fisher, an Oklahoma City Thunder guard, to resign after he requested audit and review of the organization's business practices. The committee, with the support of Hunter, declined to conduct the reviews and two days later voted unanimously to ask for Fisher’s resignation, but Fisher refused.

A Yahoo! Sports investigation revealed that Fisher's claims may be well-founded, alleging Hunter asked the NBPA to invest millions into a bank where his son, Todd, sat on the board of directors. The report also showed a history of hiring, and generously compensating, several family members for various jobs.

Bloomberg also reported this week that the New York-based union paid $4.8 million to Hunter’s family members and their professional firms since 2001, according to public records.