oligarchy
08-15-2007, 09:53 AM
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. federal court in Brooklyn to charges that he bet on games he officiated.
Tim Donaghy was an NBA referee for 13 years. He worked more than 700 games in his career.
Donaghy pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in wire fraud and transmitting wagering information to other individuals. The charges together could result in a prison term of up to 25 years.
"Donaghy admitted in court that he would call co-conspirators with his picks as to which team people should bet on," CNN's Allen Chernoff reported. "He based his picks on ... confidential knowledge of who would be officiating games, the physical condition of players, the relationship that certain referees had with certain players.
"He would call in those picks and when he made a correct selection, he would be paid off for that," Chernoff reported.
Payments to Donaghy were made in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Toronto, Ontario, Chernoff said.
Donaghy has been cooperating with prosecutors who are building a case against other individuals to whom Donaghy may have provided inside information on games he officiated, the sources said.
Donaghy told the court Wednesday he had a gambling problem and was getting treatment for it.
Reports said mobsters in the Gambino mob family learned of Donaghy's gambling problem and approached him for information on games.
No other NBA officials or players are suspected in the scandal, The Associated Press reported.
"You're not permitted to bet if you are a referee -- legally or illegally. The legal betting will cost you your job; the illegal betting, depending on the context, may cost you your freedom," NBA Commissioner David Stern said in a July 25 press conference.
Stern said the investigation is focused on the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 seasons, during which Donaghy refereed 139 regular-season games, eight playoff games and four preseason games.
He worked more than 700 NBA games in 13 years before resigning last month.
According to The AP, Stern said Donaghy's officiating was not found to be deficient.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/law/08/15/nba.ref/index.html
Tim Donaghy was an NBA referee for 13 years. He worked more than 700 games in his career.
Donaghy pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in wire fraud and transmitting wagering information to other individuals. The charges together could result in a prison term of up to 25 years.
"Donaghy admitted in court that he would call co-conspirators with his picks as to which team people should bet on," CNN's Allen Chernoff reported. "He based his picks on ... confidential knowledge of who would be officiating games, the physical condition of players, the relationship that certain referees had with certain players.
"He would call in those picks and when he made a correct selection, he would be paid off for that," Chernoff reported.
Payments to Donaghy were made in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Toronto, Ontario, Chernoff said.
Donaghy has been cooperating with prosecutors who are building a case against other individuals to whom Donaghy may have provided inside information on games he officiated, the sources said.
Donaghy told the court Wednesday he had a gambling problem and was getting treatment for it.
Reports said mobsters in the Gambino mob family learned of Donaghy's gambling problem and approached him for information on games.
No other NBA officials or players are suspected in the scandal, The Associated Press reported.
"You're not permitted to bet if you are a referee -- legally or illegally. The legal betting will cost you your job; the illegal betting, depending on the context, may cost you your freedom," NBA Commissioner David Stern said in a July 25 press conference.
Stern said the investigation is focused on the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 seasons, during which Donaghy refereed 139 regular-season games, eight playoff games and four preseason games.
He worked more than 700 NBA games in 13 years before resigning last month.
According to The AP, Stern said Donaghy's officiating was not found to be deficient.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/law/08/15/nba.ref/index.html