Pete Philo was part of the Timberwolves scouting department from 2005 to 2013, all the while hiding the fact that he is a convicted rapist, according to a report from Deadspin.
Philo, who worked previously with the Dallas Mavericks and most recently in 2016 with the Indiana Pacers, served eighth months in prison after pleading guilty to four counts of third-degree rape of a 15-year-old in the Albany, New York, area in 2000.
The girl was impregnated by Philo, who was 26 at the time of the crimes in May 1999, according to Deadspin.
He worked for the Wolves for eight years before he was replaced when the late Flip Saunders took over as team president in 2013.
According to the Deadspin report, it’s unclear if Philo lied on his resumes or if NBA teams that hired him didn’t conduct detailed background checks. Many of the case’s files were sealed because a juvenile was involved, but Philo was forced to register as a sex offender in 2001.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, Philo, now 48, will remain a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.
In May this year, Philo was inducted into the Upstate New York Basketball Hall of Fame, according to Albany Times Union.
Bring Me The News has reached out to the Timberwolves for comment and will update the story if a response is provided.
