Tulane quarterback TJ Finley has been suspended indefinitely after being arrested for alleged possession of a stolen pickup truck. His attorneys claim he was unknowingly defrauded by the sellers and is cooperating fully with law enforcement.
Finley, 23, was released without bond after being booked for possession of stolen goods valued over $25,000, as reported by the Associated Press.
The university has suspended him pending the case’s outcome, with a preliminary hearing set for June 1.
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Tulane declined further comment, citing federal student privacy laws.
Finley’s attorneys said the Tulane quarterback was the victim of a Facebook Marketplace scam, claiming he unknowingly bought a stolen pickup truck.
According to lawyers David I. Courcelle and Scott C. Stansbury, Finley received a bill of sale and registration from someone posing as a representative of Mountain Adventures LLC.
Finley believed he had legally purchased a used pickup truck, his attorneys stated, but was informed by police just three days later that the vehicle had been reported stolen.
Finley is cooperating with authorities as he works to recover his money and clear his name.
Meanwhile, Tulane held spring practice without him, with quarterbacks Kadin Semonza and Donovan Leary handling things in his absence.
Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall addressed Finley’s suspension following practice, emphasizing accountability while deferring details to the university’s official statement.
Finley, now with his fifth college football program, joined Tulane after a brief stint at Western Kentucky, where an ankle injury limited him to three games last season.
The Ponchatoula, Louisiana native began his college career at LSU in 2020, later transferring to Auburn, Texas State—where he had a breakout 2023 season with 3,439 passing yards and 24 touchdowns—and entering Tulane.
