NBA referee Eric Lewis has retired amidst a league investigation into his alleged use of a "burner" social media account to defend himself and other officials from online criticism. The league announced Lewis' retirement and the closure of the investigation on August 30. The investigation began less than three months ago to determine whether Lewis violated league policy by publicly commenting on officiating without authorization. The Twitter account under scrutiny, with the username "Blair Cuttliff," had been opened in 2015 and had no followers. It consistently responded to posts criticizing Lewis, particularly accusations of bias towards the Celtics. The account also engaged in discussions about statistics with other users and made derogatory comments about the league. NBA officials are not allowed to publicly discuss their calls without approval. Lewis, a 19-year NBA referee, was highly regarded within the league. The retirement announcement brings an end to his career.