Investigation of Mother of Player Forces Resignation

Octagon Admits Termination of Player's Mother

Previous convictions prompted investigation by North Carolina agency

Raleigh, North Carolina, August 13, 2001 -- Global sports marketing giant, Octagon, has revealed that the mother of Boston Celtics top draft choice, Joseph Forte, had been terminated by the firm and is under two years supervised probation after a March felony conviction, for failing to return a rental car.

Wanda Hightower, currently under investigation by the North Carolina Secretary of State's Office, the state agency that regulates sports agents, has also previously been convicted for writing bad checks and had been arrested twice in 2000 for the failure to return rental vehicles on time, according to a report by the Raleigh News & Observer.

An attorney for the firm revealed that Hightower's employment ended on June 22 of this year. It was also made known that she was originally hired on May 3 of 2000, on a temporary trial basis, and paid $20.51 per hour, while performing such duties as filing, copying and contacting vendors. She was then later hired on a full-time basis by Octagon.

It was additionally disclosed that Hightower has filed for bankruptcy three times since 1997. A spokesman for the N.C. Secretary of State's Office, indicates the inquiry into the circumstances of how Hightower came to be employed by Octagon to begin with, will proceed for as long as is necessary. Forte, drafted by the Celtics out of the University of North Carolina, has retained Octagon as his representative.

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Source : Raleigh News & Observer, July 31, 2001.

David Burkey
E-mail: daveywriter@hotmail.com