Report: Criminal investigation into Washington Commanders over allegations of financial improprieties opened in Virginia

ESPN is reporting that the U.S. attorney’s office in the Eastern District of Virginia has opened a criminal investigation into allegations that the Washington Commanders engaged in financial improprieties. These allegations originated from the House Committee on Oversight and Reforms investigation into Dan Snyder and the team. That investigation led to a letter to the Federal Trade Commission and further investigations in Virginia and Washington .D.C.

Dan and Tanya Snyder announced today that they have hired Bank of America Securities to look into all options for the sale of the team. That included minority stakes and the sale of the entire franchise. The NFL is still conducting their second investigation into Snyder and the franchise. This one is led by Mary Jo White and includes new allegations of sexual misconduct that directly implicated Dan Snyder, along with the financial improprieties allegations made by former employee Jason Friedman during the House Oversight Committee’s investigation.

Washington Commanders attorney John Brownlee issued a statement about ESPN’s latest report on the team:

“It is not surprising that ESPN is publishing more falsehoods based solely on anonymous sources — given today’s announcement,” the statement said. “…We are confident that, after these agencies have had a chance to review the documents and complete their work, they will come to the same conclusion as the team’s internal review — that these allegations are simply untrue.”

Update: The Department of Justice has spent months investigating the Washington Commanders