Posted on 08/14/2007 9:42:31 PM PDT by Eric Blair 2084
A rogue ref at the center of an explosive NBA point-shaving gambling scandal will surrender Wednesday to plead guilty to federal charges, law enforcement sources said.
Tim Donaghy, 40, who allegedly bet on games at which he officiated and provided inside information to mobsters, is expected to show up before Brooklyn federal Judge Carol Amon on relatively minor gambling related charges, sources said.
The plea capped weeks of deal-making between Donaghy’s lawyer and prosecutors. The illegal gambling scam spanned the last two seasons, though feds zeroed in over the past year.
NBA officials were horrified at the allegations - and insisted Doanghy was nothing more than an "isolated criminal."
The feds are also expected to lock up two of Donaghy’s cronies today - reputed bookie James Battista and high school pal Thomas Martino, sources told The Post.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
The NBA doesn’t want to turn this rock over; they’re afraid of what they might find.
I wonder if he gets to keep his pension.
Donaghy and crew ref Game 3 of Spurs vs. Suns: perhaps the worst-officiated NBA game ever
I wouldn’t be surprised if it turns out that Eddie Rush was helping to shave points too.
That being said, if it weren’t for the lopsided calls and the suspension, the Spurs probably would won it in seven—barely— but won it nonetheless.
The last team to win a championship with the Suns’ style was the Showtime Lakers, but they had a guy in the middle named Kareem.
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