By Matthew Stanmyre and Steve Politi | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on February 24, 2017 at 7:30 AM, updated February 24, 2017 at 2:39 PM
UPDATE, Feb. 24, 1:35 p.m.: The Paterson Public School District has announced wide-ranging penalties to its athletics department, including the suspensions of three district employees and the withdrawal of the Paterson Eastside High School girls basketball team from next week’s state tournament. For details click here.
PATERSON — At least eight international boys and girls basketball players have shown up seemingly out of nowhere to play for Paterson Eastside High School’s powerhouse teams over the past four years, broadening state investigations and drawing the attention of federal agencies, NJ Advance Media has learned.
The discovery of the international pipeline comes a little less than three weeks after an NJ Advance Media report found as many as six players living with Eastside boys coach Juan Griles. Three of the boys were from Puerto Rico and not among the eight who may have violated federal immigration laws.