July 7, 2017
Even before he started cursing from the podium at a U.S. spy agency, Bobby Knight was an unorthodox choice to deliver a lecture on leadership.
Employees at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) complained in advance about their bosss decision to invite the Hall of Fame basketball coach to give a speech at their headquarters, given his history of bullying players, demeaning women and throwing furniture. But that was nothing compared with the troubles triggered by Knights July 10, 2015, visit to the agency at Fort Belvoir, Va., near Washington.
Four women who worked at the spy agency alleged that Knight had groped or touched them inappropriately in brief encounters before and after his speech, according to investigative documents and interviews with more than a dozen NGA officials.
The allegations, which have not been previously made public, led to criminal investigations by the FBI and the U.S. Army. The Pentagon, Congress and other intelligence agencies in Washington were alerted.
The women accused Knight of a range of boorish behavior: from touching them on the shoulder while commenting on the attractiveness of their legs, to hugging them too tightly around the chest, to hitting them on the buttocks, according to documents compiled by investigators and Washington Post interviews with three of the women.
The criminal investigations into Knight lasted a year, culminating in a July 2016 interview with FBI agents at his home in Montana, law enforcement officials said. The retired college coach denied wrongdoing and federal prosecutors in Virginia decided not to bring charges, according to Knights attorney and federal officials familiar with the case.
There is absolutely no credible evidence to support this in our opinion, these allegations, said James Voyles, an Indianapolis lawyer who represents Knight. The FBI agents, he added, reported to their superiors that there was no basis for any further action, period.
Knight, now 76, did not respond to requests for comment. In a text message to The Post, his wife, Karen Knight, said: Bob did nothing wrong and there is NO evidence to prove that he did. Case closed.
