Let me start with a HT to freesia for the title of this post.

From the LA Times today:

The California attorney general's office is investigating whether funds from a sickle cell anemia charity were illegally used to pay for benefits to former USC basketball player O.J. Mayo, a state Department of Justice special agent said Friday.

Special agent Danny Kim in Los Angeles said he is looking into whether "any funds or credit cards were taken or used under the foundation's name and used for other purposes."

The possible charitable trust violations appear at most to be misdemeanors, Kim said.

However, Department of Justice subpoena and warrant power could accelerate investigations by the NCAA and Pacific 10 Conference and a USC probe into any possible wrongdoing by Mayo, his mentor, Rodney Guillory, or Tony Hicks, chief executive of the L.A.-based National Organization of Sickle Cell Prevention and Awareness Foundation.

In a report this month by ESPN's "Outside the Lines," Hicks, also known by the alias Amonra Elohim, was identified as a convicted felon.

Louis Johnson, a former advisor to Mayo, told ESPN that Hicks allowed Guillory to use an American Express card registered to the sickle cell charity.

Hicks was not immediately available for comment Friday, and Guillory did not respond to messages left at his Inglewood home earlier this week.

Now here is the obvious question the LA Times didn't ask in the article. Remember the Mayo scandal involving the Laker tickets?

Remember how that scandal was "resolved" ? Here is a quick refresher :

Southern California freshman O.J. Mayo violated an NCAA rule by accepting free tickets from Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony to an NBA game, but his punishment won't include missing games.

University officials said Friday they have been informed by the NCAA that Mayo committed a violation and must contribute $460 -- the total value of the two tickets -- to a charitable organization. USC said in a release the NCAA restored Mayo's eligibility after he and his family donated the money, making him available for Saturday's game against Oregon.

"I'm glad this is over with now," Mayo said in a statement. "It was an eye-opening process. I have tried to be very careful when any potential NCAA issues are involved ever since I arrived at USC."

So who is going to look up what "charitable organization" Mayo had made the donation?

If there is any connection with the Laker Tickets scandal and the sickle cell anemia charity funds, it wouldn't be just a smoking gun, it would be disgusting.

The thought of using something such as prevention of sickle cell disease to funnel money to an athlete posting as a college student is just beyond pale. Sickening.

GO BRUINS.