Is Trying To Pay A Coach To Lose A Game A Federal Crime?

According to 18 U.S. Code § 224 - Bribery in sporting contests, yes it is.‍

Backstory, Brian Flores alleges in his class action lawsuit complaint against Miami Dolphins and team owner Stephen Ross, along with the Bronco, Giants, and the NFL have been circumventing their own rules and have discriminatory hiring practices.

(a)Whoever carries into effect, attempts to carry into effect, or conspires with any other person to carry into effect any scheme in commerce to influence, in any way, by bribery any sporting contest, with knowledge that the purpose of such scheme is to influence by bribery that contest, shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.

(b)This section shall not be construed as indicating an intent on the part of Congress to occupy the field in which this section operates to the exclusion of a law of any State, territory, Commonwealth, or possession of the United States, and no law of any State, territory, Commonwealth, or possession of the United States, which would be valid in the absence of the section shall be declared invalid, and no local authorities shall be deprived of any jurisdiction over any offense over which they would have jurisdiction in the absence of this section.

(c)As used in this section—

(1)The term “scheme in commerce” means any scheme effectuated in whole or in part through the use in interstate or foreign commerce of any facility for transportation or communication;

(2)The term “sporting contest” means any contest in any sport, between individual contestants or teams of contestants (without regard to the amateur or professional status of the contestants therein), the occurrence of which is publicly announced before its occurrence;

(3)The term “person” means any individual and any partnership, corporation, association, or other entity.

Legally, the standard of proof may be difficult to overcome if the only witnesses to the conversation are the parties involved in Brian Flores (former head coach of the Miami Dolphins) and Stephen Ross (owner of the Miami Dolphins).  

A trial on the allegation wouldn’t be the strongest without concrete evidence and proof of the bribery attempt.  A conviction in a court of law requires substantially more proof than “he said she said” and here, the fact that Brian Flores didn’t accept or alert authorities in order to arrange an overt act in furtherance of the crime his non-compliance may end up being what saves Stephen Ross from federal prosecution.