The Daniel Snyder fraud investigation explained: How can it affect the Commanders’ owner?
It’s now clear, that the Commanders owner has not given an ideal account of himself when it comes to managing and maintaining an NFL franchise.
If there is one thing we can take from recent occurrences within the Washington Commanders, it’s that they are in need of a restart. While they’ve clearly begun to address that fact where the team is concerned, the management aspect of the franchise, particularly owner Dan Snyder, is in desperate need of the same attention.
Commanders owner Dan Snyder charged his team for private jet usage
What we can take from recent reports, is that Commanders owner Daniel Snyder continues to be as divisive as ever and quite frankly, it may well be that his time is about to come to an end, with other NFL owners said to be discussing the idea of voting him out. As per reports, we can now understand that Snyder was allegedly charging his own franchise $10 million annually, for the use of his private jets, as well as an additional $4.5 million to put the team’s logo on his personal plane. Further to that, Snyder is said to have called the $4.5 million charge “an advertising fee” even though the team’s then-minority owners claimed that Snyder’s personal jet “provides little or no advertising value.” If that wasn’t enough, it’s also understood that both figures caused an even greater issue because the aforementioned minority owners - they control 40% - did not actually consent to the expenditure.
What do we know about the allegations against Dan Snyder?
Where the minority owners of the team are concerned, Dwight Schar, Frederick W. Smith and Robert Rothman have all alleged that Snyder has used the franchise as his “personal piggy bank.” What’s more is that the group alleges that the situation surrounding Snyder’s plane is just one of several scenarios in which he has engaged in unapproved spending of finances. Indeed, both the FBI and IRS are currently engaged in investigations into the team in relation to other examples of financial misconduct.
What might one of those examples be you ask? It is alleged, that Snyder took out a $55 million loan through the Commanders without informing the minority owners, and as such without their approval. Needless to say, that is absolutely critical when considering the idea that said decision came some 16 months prior to buying out the individuals who maintained a combined 40% of the team. As you can probably imagine, the loan is at the forefront of the probe into Snyder’s apparent misconduct, so much so that it’s now in the hands of federal prosecutors.
Daniel Snyder is trying to absolve himself
Though it probably comes as no surprise, reports on Monday did in fact indicate that Snyder and his legal team requested other NFL owners and the league “indemnify him against future legal liability and costs” should he move forward with selling the Commanders. Further to that Snyder has allegedly threatened to sue the NFL and its ownere if his request isn’t granted, which in turn has led them to discussing the aforementioned idea of voting him out. Labeled as “ridiculous” and “absurd,” it’s hard to see those deamnds being met. To be clear, if Snyder were to refuse to sell the franchise, it’s all but certain that the required 75% of the league’s owners would vote to remove him. Keep an eye on this one, as it’s likely just getting started.