Rogue NBA Referee Faces Judge In Brooklyn
NEW YORK, NY – A rogue referee accused of betting on professional basketball games he called faced a federal judge Wednesday morning in Brooklyn.
He entered a guilty plea and may now have to trade his ref stripes for prison bars. FormerNBA referee Tim Donaghy has pled guilty to participating in a gambling ring that was betting onNBA games, including games that Donaghy himself was reffing.
Donaghy said, in the courthouse, that he would select winners for games, then call them in to his co-conspirators. If his selections were correct, he’d get paid off. He said that he was paid at least once in Pennsylvania, another time in Toronto.
Legally, he pled guilty to two felony counts. First, conspiracy to engage in wire fraud and transmitting wagering information across state lines. Together, those two charges carry a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. Donaghy’s name came to light as theU.S. attorney in Brooklyn was investigating a Gambino family gambling ring. Donaghy had a relationship with two alleged bookies.
Those bookies apparently are scheduled to face arraignmentWednesday afternoon in Brooklyn, James Battista and Thomas Martino. We have spoken to an attorney for Battista who says that he intends to fight the charges.NBA Commissioner David Sternhas said this whole scandal has been a violation of a sacred trust between theNBA and its referees.
