Tulane quarterback TJ Finley was the victim of an online scam that led to his arrest on charges related to a stolen vehicle, according to a statement from his attorneys on Thursday.
New Orleans lawyers David I. Courcelle and Scott C. Stansbury explained to WVUE Fox 8 TV that Finley, who previously played at Auburn, bought a used pickup truck through Facebook Marketplace, unaware that it was stolen.
The statement reads:
“TJ Finley was the victim of a Facebook Marketplace scam. He purchased a used pickup truck from an individual who claimed to be John Spillway, representing Mountain Adventures, LLC. Spillway provided TJ with both a bill of sale and registration, making the transaction appear legitimate. Within three days, Tulane police informed TJ that the truck had been reported stolen. TJ is committed to fully cooperating with authorities to recover his lost funds, bring the criminals to justice, and clear his name. He hopes this process will be resolved swiftly so he can continue focusing on his academics and athletic career.”
Finley, 23, was suspended indefinitely by Tulane’s athletics department on Thursday after being booked into the Orleans Parish Prison on charges of “illegally possessing a stolen item worth more than $25,000.” He was later released on bond.
Originally from Ponchatoula, La., Finley has played at LSU (2020), Auburn (2021-22), Texas State (2023), and Western Kentucky (2024) before transferring to Tulane in January. At Auburn, he played in 13 games over two seasons, starting six, and passed for 1,258 yards, seven touchdowns, and five interceptions.
At Tulane, Finley was set to compete for the starting quarterback position with fellow transfers Cadin Semonza (Ball State) and Donovan Leary (Illinois). Green Wave coach Jon Sumrall briefly addressed the situation on Thursday but declined to comment in detail about Finley’s arrest.
“Legally, I can’t,” Sumrall said when asked for more information. “I’m not in a position to dive into it. Things happen off the field. It’s unfortunate. … Guys make mistakes, and they have to be held accountable.”