Brenda Tracy, the sexual assault prevention advocate who accused former Michigan State football coach Mel Tucker of harassment, has filed a new lawsuit—this time targeting prominent donor and UWM CEO Mat Ishbia. The legal action, filed in Oakland County, alleges Ishbia and his mortgage company interfered with Michigan State's investigation into Tucker's conduct.

The case stems from Tracy's 2023 allegations that Tucker engaged in non-consensual sexual behavior during a December 2021 phone call. Tucker, who was fired shortly after the story broke, maintains the interaction was consensual. While a prior defamation lawsuit Tracy filed against Tucker was dismissed, the legal fallout continues to ripple through the sports world.

This latest complaint introduces a powerful new figure into the saga. The lawsuit accuses Ishbia and UWM executives of leveraging their donor influence to insert themselves into the investigation, allegedly to protect Michigan State's brand. It lists nine allegations, including invasion of privacy and violations of Michigan's Consumer Protection Act.

Mat Ishbia's ties to Michigan State run deep. A walk-on for the Spartans' 2000 national championship basketball team and a major athletic donor, Ishbia is now a high-profile sports owner, having purchased the NBA's Phoenix Suns and WNBA's Phoenix Mercury in 2022. The lawsuit claims his former general counsel, David Zacks, received confidential email updates on the Tucker investigation, suggesting an inappropriate level of access.

This development adds another complex layer to a story that has already impacted Michigan State football on and off the field, highlighting the often-murky intersection of major donors, university athletics, and institutional accountability.