CARMEL — A former Indiana University basketball player who was a member of the legendary Bob Knight-coached 1992 Final Four team has been arrested on felony fraud and theft charges, accused of running a scheme that defrauded a parent out of nearly $50,000 for a youth basketball program that never materialized.
Todd Leary, 54, was taken into custody after an investigation by the Carmel Police Department (CPD). He is facing five preliminary counts of fraud and five counts of theft, all Level 6 felonies, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Hamilton County on September 25.
Leary played for the Hoosiers from 1989 to 1994, appearing in 107 games.
The investigation began on May 8 when a victim met with a CPD officer, alleging Leary had scammed him out of approximately $48,900. The victim initially contacted Leary after hearing him advertise basketball training services for Myjumpshot.com on an Indiana sports radio show.
According to court documents, the victim first paid Leary $3,000 for training for his son in late 2023. After a few sessions, Leary allegedly offered a “lifetime” training deal focused on preparing the son for college basketball, requesting an additional $5,000.
The fraud scheme reportedly escalated with Leary making repeated requests for large sums under false pretenses:
- False Personal Emergency: In July 2024, Leary allegedly requested the second half of the lifetime deal payment ($2,500) early, claiming his son was experiencing “legal trouble” and needed money for attorney fees.
- The Phantom AAU Team: Leary proposed creating a new AAU basketball team in August 2024. He allegedly solicited a $5,000 check from the victim to cover “team creation, eight tournaments, uniforms, shoes, and practice at Warren Central.”
- Police Follow-Up: Court documents show that Leary claimed he would work with Criss Beyers of the Indiana Elite club, who later confirmed to CPD that Leary never created an AAU team with the club.
- Phony Fees and Facilities: Subsequent requests included $5,000 for coaching and another $4,000 to use the H&H Fieldhouse in Fishers for practice. H&H Fieldhouse confirmed Leary contacted them about a possible investment, but did not explore leasing the facility for an AAU team.
- Indiana Basketball League and Purdue Claims: In September 2024, Leary allegedly requested $6,000, claiming it was needed to pay the Indiana Basketball League to start the team. The league confirmed it never received any money from Leary. Leary later claimed to have been hired to train Purdue athletes and would pay the victim back upon receiving a $15,000 check from the university—a claim that Purdue confirmed was false.
- Fake Coach: Leary reportedly requested $3,000 to hire an assistant coach, claiming he secured Adam Howard, then Indiana’s assistant director of recruiting and operations. Howard later confirmed that Leary never discussed the role with him.
The victim stated that between January 2024 and February 2025, he paid a total of $48,900 for services that Leary is accused of failing to provide in full.
Court records indicate this is not Leary’s first encounter with allegations of financial misconduct. Leary has prior convictions in Hamilton County in 2012 for theft and in Allen County in 2010 for conversion and misappropriation of title insurance escrow funds.
The affidavit further notes that Leary still has an outstanding judgment of $294,963.37 as of July 30, 2025, related to the earlier Allen County case.
