Entire Cheer Squad Shut Down for Mysterious Reasons

An entire college cheer squad has been shut down, apparently after allegations of prostitution and more. Deadspin reports Coastal Carolina University has indefinitely suspended its entire cheer squad pending an investigation. The suspension comes just days before a cheer event—now canceled—at the university and weeks before a national cheer competition the squad had already raised money to compete in but will no longer attend. The CCU cheer squad website now redirects to the school spirit team's site. The university is not commenting on the reason for the suspension or the nature of the investigation.

However, an unnamed cheerleader tells WMBF the university received an anonymous letter earlier this month accusing team members of prostitution, buying alcohol for minors, paying people to do their homework, and more. The cheerleader says on Wednesday night members of the team were taken in for questioning by police, who searched their phones before releasing them. Police say they are not investigating the cheer squad. In a statement released Friday and obtained by WPDE, the cheer squad says the allegations against its members are false and have "led to harassment on campus as well as through social media." They're waiting for their names to be cleared and the suspension lifted. (More cheerleaders stories.)