Former ESPN reporter Karsten commits suicide

[JonInMiddleGA]

I hadn't seen this anywhere until a few minutes ago, heck, I didn't even know he had legal troubles much less this.

http://entertainment.myway.com/celebgossip/pgsixceleb/id/09_05_2005_1.html

FORMER ESPN reporter Adrian Karsten, facing a prison tax rap, was found dead, an apparent suicide, in his Wisconsin home, officials said yesterday.

Cops declined to provide details but Karsten's ex-wife told The Post that investigators have labeled it a suicide.

Karsten pleaded guilty in July to failing to report about $607,000 in income he made as a sideline reporter for ESPN college football games between 1999 and 2002.

He was sentenced to serve 11 months in prison and nine months home confinement.

He was supposed to report to a federal lockup in Rochester, Minn., last Thursday but never showed up, his ex-wife said.

[Schmidty]

Never heard of him.

I guess it's sad if he had chemical problems. If he didn't, he was just a pussy.

I'm assuming he had his issues, so it's probably the former. R.I.P.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Schmidty, if you watched any ESPN college football coverage over the past, oh, 5-6 years, you'd recognize him. He was the sideline guy who usually wore suspenders, blonde, tall.

[Young Drachma]

I hadn't seen this anywhere until a few minutes ago, heck, I didn't even know he had legal troubles much less this.

http://entertainment.myway.com/celebgossip/pgsixceleb/id/09_05_2005_1.html

FORMER ESPN reporter Adrian Karsten, facing a prison tax rap, was found dead, an apparent suicide, in his Wisconsin home, officials said yesterday.

Cops declined to provide details but Karsten's ex-wife told The Post that investigators have labeled it a suicide.

Karsten pleaded guilty in July to failing to report about $607,000 in income he made as a sideline reporter for ESPN college football games between 1999 and 2002.

He was sentenced to serve 11 months in prison and nine months home confinement.

He was supposed to report to a federal lockup in Rochester, Minn., last Thursday but never showed up, his ex-wife said.

I read it the other afternoon. It was pretty hidden on their site, seeing as it's not "Really" news, since he just worked for them. I recall him briefly. But yeah, figured he killed himself.

The original story didn't mention the apparent suicide, just that he was dead or whatever.

[RPI-Fan]

ESPN showed this on Sportscenter a couple days ago -- didn't mention the CoD.

[JeffNights]

I think the most amazing thing is that he was paid $607,000 to be a sideline reporter.

[RPI-Fan]

I think the most amazing thing is that he was paid $607,000 to be a sideline reporter.

$150,000 per year -- but I agree: wow.

[molson]

Here's a picture of him (scroll down):

http://www.snydernews.net/

[Ksyrup]

Wow. I had no idea. Very sad. Yeah, he was the guy who teamed with the Saturday night crew (Ron Franklin and Mike Gottfried). I didn't realize it had been 3 years since he was last on the sidelines.

I'd make an off-color joke about the CoD being the FSU/Miami game, but that wouldn't be nice.

Woops, too late.

[Ksyrup]

On a separate note, how do you just fail to report that kind of jack from a huge, legit employer? Really, did he think he would get away with being tax-free for 4 years? I assume he got paid the gross amount and was required to pay his own taxes, and simply didn't do it. People do the strangest things.

[MikeVick7]

If he didn't, he was just a pussy.

Touching.

[Leonidas]

I've actually met this guy. He was a really tall blond guy. Super nice guy as I recall. Sad.

[cubboyroy1826]

This is where our legal system is messed up. This guy gets 11 months in prison and 9 months home arrest for not reporting income. Definitely not cool but what the hell is with the sentence? We have rapists and murderers that get off for less. What was Martha's sentence again?

[Franklinnoble]

Damn. That guy owed me money.

[Ksyrup]

This is where our legal system is messed up. This guy gets 11 months in prison and 9 months home arrest for not reporting income. Definitely not cool but what the hell is with the sentence? We have rapists and murderers that get off for less. What was Martha's sentence again?
I bet the difference is the amount of proof they had. If this guy simply didn't pay taxes on the income ESPN paid him, I'm not sure what his defense would be. Martha, on the other hand, wasn't as clear-cut a case. Apples and oranges.

[Honolulu Blue]

I remember him. Don't remember him leaving, which shows how much attention I pay to sideline reporters.

I hope he's in a better place now. My sympathy for his friends & family.

[cubboyroy1826]

I understand what youre saying about the proof but take a look at some of the stuff people get off with very little to any jail time. Didnt Dusty Baker reportedly owe the IRS a couple million? Baker's punishment was a nice new contract and the job of torturing us Cubs fans.