MINNEAPOLIS — Multiple men are suing the University of Minnesota, its Board of Regents, and other out-of-state hockey associations alleging a one-time U of M hockey coach groomed and sexually abused them when they were teens.
In the new federal civil lawsuit, five men claim former University of Minnesota assistant men's hockey coach Thomas "Chico" Adrahtas sexually abused them as teens.
Some before, during and long after his one year with the Gophers.
The lawsuit also claims the U of M knew about the allegations back in 1985, and did nothing to prevent it from happening elsewhere.
"Had they done what was right, Chico would have never gotten to me, the others before me and God forbid anyone that was after me," said Kelly Gee, one of the survivors of the alleged sexual abuse.
According to the lawsuit, in 1983, Adrahtas began sexually assaulting a then 16-year-old hockey standout named Michael Sacks, blindfolding him, binding his hands and feet, and sexually assaulted under the guise that a woman named "Sheila" was committing the acts.
Court documents allege Adrahtas took money, "inviting other adults to perform oral sex."
"Sheila was his fictitious character that Chico postured to every one of the victims," Gee said.
While at the U of M in 1984, the lawsuit says Adrahtas solicited U of M hockey players with his "Sheila" offer.
Captain Tony Kellin "was immediately suspicious."
The lawsuit claims the players set up a sting operation, taking Adrahtas' offer and catching him in the act, finding "...Adrahtas was Sheila, and was performing oral sex on hockey players without their knowledge."
Court documents say the players went right to then-athletic director Paul Giel.
"In 1985 they knew about Chico's inappropriate behavior with players, the sexual assault allegations," said Nicholas Economakos, an attorney representing the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. "They knew about it, and they didn't investigate them, didn't report them, they didn't do anything. Even worse, they concealed his crimes."
The lawsuit says after the 1984-85 season, Adrahtas was forced to resign, head coach Bob Buetow was fired, and incoming freshman player Michael Sacks was allegedly told not to come to school.
"The press would be too negative about him and Chico," Economakos said. "Scared, confused at 17 years of age, a superstar's career was over, taken from him."
Adrahtas went on to coach AAA and youth hockey in Illinois and eventually coached at Robert Morris University until his resignation in 2018.
Five former players have come forward. Attorneys believe there are more.
KARE 11 reached out to the U of M, which said the university cannot comment on ongoing litigation.
Last year, after the allegations first broke in The Athletic, the U hired a law firm that concluded the athletic department knew of the reports back in '85, but failed to act.
Former Coach Brian Buetow told KARE 11 that he vetted Adrahtas "very carefully" before hiring him.
“I wasn’t aware of anything," he said. "I never heard anything. If I had been made aware, I would have been very proactive.”
He said he first heard a rumor about the sexual abuse around the summer after he was fired.
"On June 6 when he resigned, I was in San Diego building a hockey program," Buetow said.
KARE 11 has reached out to several members of the 1984-85 hockey team. Pat Micheletti said he is "saddened by the whole thing" and it "ruined a lot of people's lives." He said it affected the whole team.
Another former player, Corey Millen, said, "It's a very unfortunate situation and it's a terrible thing that happened to individuals and our team." Millen added that it "left a big impact on them."