Three local families sent their four teenagers to Florida. They said they expected a program that would help elevate their football game film and lead to a Division 1 scholarship. Instead, they say they got hollow excuses.
The kids spent years working on the gridiron. They had dreams of a football future, but for most of them, they ended up on I-95 at North Palm Beach Prep in Florida after graduating high school from Salem High in Salem, New Jersey. And their parents say they're out thousands of dollars.
"I got ripped off, definitely," said Laquendala Bentley.
"Out of this whole experience he got a big heartbreak," added Lester Coleman.
Football prep schools are programs designed to allow players extra time after high school to grow academically and athletically, often to build highlight videos and improve college entrance exams to get an athletic scholarship.
Investigation: Former NFL player under fire for football prep program
North Palm Beach Prep was owned by former Los Angeles Raiders defensive back Derrick Crudup Sr.
"He's using that he's an ex-football player from the Raiders and that's how he's drawing the people in, and that's not right," said Stella St. John-Coleman.
Lester Coleman and his wife Stella, of Newark, Delaware, signed up their son, Lee Jr., at North Palm Beach Prep in the summer of 2021.
They said Crudup Sr. charged $4,400. The contract included program tuition, academic support, and a 10-game schedule.
"His personality was kind of like a used car salesman," said Coleman.
The Colemans previewed the program with a trip to Boca Raton. They toured the beautiful grounds of Florida Atlantic University where they say Crudup Senior told them they'd play games. They checked out Johnnie O's, which is a famous training facility for professional athletes where they said they were told the kids would train.
"That was a big selling point," added Coleman.
Instead, the families said they practiced on a Pop Warner field and only played only three games, not at Florida Atlantic but rather at a local high school. And that gym didn't happen.
"We expected to be working out at a nice facility where the outdoor weight room, turf fields, all that, but we got a YMCA," said North Palm Beach Attendee Amir Monsour.
"What was promised wasn't given," said Bentley.
But more importantly for Laquendala Bently, and her son, Amir, was the ACT and SAT prep classes they say Crudup Sr. claimed were part of the program.
Amir was trying to polish his academic resume for college.
Crudup's sales brochure states players must attend classes three times a week, and "do exactly as our academic advisor tells you in order to make the process work."
"Was there any ACT and SATs prep classes?" asked Action News investigative reporter Chad Pradelli.
"No, not at all," said Monsour.
"You were expecting that?" asked Pradelli.
"Yeah," Monsour added.
The sales brochure talked about shuttles to workouts and game film sessions. They say they also got none of that.
Bentley paid more than $15,000 for her son and friend to attend the program.
"I couldn't use that money to send him to a local college," Bentley added.
"There was nothing. No test prep. No real true training," said Coleman.
The parents said Crudup Sr. allegedly blamed Covid for many of the program's problems. He has since left Florida and taken his prep school model up to Atlanta, Georgia and created ATL Prep.
"Hello, this is Derrick Crudup again -- former Oklahoma Sooner, former Los Angeles Raider and head football coach of The ATL Collegiate Prep," said Crudup Sr. in a promotional Twitter video.
Crudup Sr. has refused to comment to Action News.
Our sister station in Atlanta attempted to track him down for comment but failed to do so.
"Recruiting is the lifeblood of any successful program. I have been on the phone for two months lining up college coaches to come to ATL Prep to watch you practice, watch your game and interview and talk with you," added Crudup Sr. in a promotional video.
Coach Jonathan Page said he was initially hired at ATL Prep as the head coach. But he said he soon sensed problems.
"When the parents were in Palm Beach Prep telling us things and we was defending him," said Page. "And then things started to kind of turn out the same way right in front of our eyes."
Page said the program lacked adequate facilities as promised. He and Crudup Sr. went their separate ways after the program head questioned his recruiting efforts.
"If I'm a player or parent, I'm gonna want to come see what I'm paying for first. I'm not just gonna come and hand you money," said Page. "So he got offended by that."
Coach Sherman Adams coached for Crudup Sr. and North Palm Beach Prep in 2020 when the program was initially launched in Port St. Lucie.
Adams alleged Crudup Sr. also failed to pay referees for games, packed players into a house with mattresses on the floor with glass doors boarded.
"The apartment buildings, the training facility, the college, the offices and the football field -- that's what he really sold us on, and we didn't have any of that," said Adams.
Adams said Crudup Sr. didn't even have water bottles for practice, which a player's parent eventually purchased. And the team had no trainer.
"You got to have a trainer, man. I mean, kids getting hurt, you know, what are you gonna do? You gotta have a trainer," added Adams
Adams said both he and the other coaches didn't get paid despite Crudup Sr. getting paid more than $20,000 in federal funds under the Paycheck Protection Program.
In the end, he said the 2020 team only played six games, instead of the 10 scheduled, but he proudly said they went undefeated.
"He broke some kids' hearts," said Adams. "He destroyed some kids' dreams man."
Court documents also reveal the Merraine Group sued Crudup Sr. in 2020 for unpaid rent on an office space he used for North Palm Beach Prep's offices. It received a default judgment.
The company's President tells Action News Crudup Sr. never paid any rent and took all the company's desks, chairs artwork and filing cabinets. They said he even took the light bulbs and toilet paper when he left.
The Colemans and Bentley told Action News their boys' 2021 season at North Palm Beach Prep also ended abruptly when their sons called saying they were being kicked out of their hotel for lack of payment.
It's unclear if the lack of payment was due to Crudup Sr. or some players.
"So it was panicking because it's so far away, last minute, you know?" said St. James-Coleman.
Eventually, their boys got home. They returned with broken promises and shattered dreams.
Lee Jr. is playing football at Kutztown University.
Another player is at a community college in Kansas, while the others are currently out of the game.
"It was a learning experience. Our thing now is like, for families and kids going forward. And I'm (going to) let everybody know what's going on," said Coleman.
"You're really hurting the kids," added Bentley. "Kids who expected to have a better opportunity, lost that opportunity because we entrusted him to provide something that we thought would better their chances of D1 or D2 college."
The parents said they took their complaints to the Florida Attorney General, but the complaint went nowhere.
They are warning anyone thinking of signing up for a postgraduate football prep school to do their due diligence.
Action News contacted Crudup Sr. for a comment, but he has not responded.