In his court deposition, Shapiro’s then-lawyer, Levinson, said there was “some talk” at an Axcess business meeting about buying Wilfork an Escalade while the player was still enrolled at UM in late 2003. Asked who paid for it, Levinson said: “I believe Nevin did.”

A Caddy Escalade

Huyghue said in his court deposition that Wilfork received a Cadillac Escalade bought at a Jacksonville dealership after he had left UM and signed a contract with Axcess to represent him as a pro. He said he did not recall if Axcess loaned him the money, and then Wilfork repaid the agency.

“Are you certain that Axcess did not outright buy the car for him, the Escalade?” Shapiro’s current defense attorney, Maria Elena Perez, asked Huyghue during her client’s bankruptcy case.

“I don’t believe so,” Huyghue responded. “His wife was very particular about handling his business affairs.”

Perez did not ask Huyghue about the second Escalade that Shapiro claims he bought for Wilfork’s wife.

Nor did Perez ask him specifically about Shapiro’s alleged $50,000 lump sum payment to Wilfork.

In the same December 2004 email where Huyghue wrote about the loss of Wilfork, the sports agent also referred to two other potential Axcess clients: UM safety Antrel Rolle and halfback Frank Gore.

“Both Trell and Gore are aware and have no problem,” Huyghue wrote, referring to Wilfork’s formal letter terminating his contract with Axcess. “Originally, they said they would give us until the end of the year and then decide and then today I received this out of the blue.”

At the same time, Axcess’ documents show it had lost $783,000 in potential revenue in 2003, when UM wide receiver Andre Johnson went with another sports agency and signed with the Houston Texans.

Other Axcess records summarizing the company’s business meetings show in early 2004 that Huyghue had “concerns” about Nevin’s involvement and compensation “due to his booster status.”

Levinson, the lawyer, who also played the role of “secretary” at Axcess business meetings, noted one agenda item in January 2004 about “Nevin’s assistance in signing UM player.” Though not specified, that would be Wilfork.

Levinson also noted in an email to Shapiro another item to be discussed with Huyghue at the following month’s meeting: “Nevin is the primary reason Michael [Huyghue] has established contact and relationships with UM players. Axcess seems to be doing much better at UM than anywhere else.”

But the summary of a November 2005 business meeting suggested that Axcess was not prospering as a sports agency.

“According to Michael, Axcess’ original football business model was flawed,” Levinson’s notes said. “In the past, Axcess spread its resources too thin and unsuccessfully attempted to sign an unlimited number of players.

“Additionally, Axcess has been successful in appealing to, but not signing, football players such as Andre Johnson and Antrel Rolle and signing but not retaining others such as Vince Wilfork,” Levinson wrote. “Presently, Axcess has hired runners around the country with more of a ‘street approach’ to assist in signing players... .”

Axcess ended up representing only one more UM player: Jon Beason, a linebacker who was drafted in the first round by the Carolina Panthers in 2007.

Gone by 2008

The following year, Axcess was out of business — and Shapiro lost his original $1.5 million investment.

During its existence, between 2002 and 2008, no complaints were filed against Axcess, according to the state Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Huyghue, however, was disciplined in January 2002 for unlicensed activity. But Huyghue said no disciplinary action was taken; however, a department spokeswoman confirmed that the sports agent was fined $1,000 and paid it in 2003.

As for Shapiro, he was never a licensed sports agent in Florida, according to state records.

And though the NCAA has yet to punish UM for the Shapiro era, his misconduct has already taken its toll on the university.

In November, UM school officials announced the Canes would, for the second year in a row, voluntarily forgo playing in any post-season games. Last year, the team suspended eight players who accepted gifts from Shapiro, including quarterback Jacory Harris.

The next phase of punishment is expected to come down three to six months after the notice of allegations arrives on the Coral Gables campus. Scholarship reductions and another year or two of post-season bowl bans are potentially in store.