August 15, 2007
DOCUMENT:

NBA Ref Guilty Plea

Two felony charges for providing 'picks' in betting scheme

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NBA Ref Guilty Plea

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AUGUST 15--Disgraced former NBA referee Tim Donaghy today pleaded guilty to federal charges that he took cash 'for providing betting recommendations or 'picks' on NBA games, including games he officiated to individuals involved in the business of sports betting.' In a criminal information filed this morning in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, Donaghy was charged with accepting payments from coconspirators for each correct pick he made. 'Donaghy was not paid for an incorrect pick,' noted the information, a copy of which you'll find below. To make his picks, Donaghy relied on inside information like what crews were officiating specific games, the 'interactions between certain referees and certain players and team personnel,' and the physical condition of certain players. Donaghy would pass on his picks via telephone, sometimes using coded language with his cohorts. It appears that federal investigators first became aware of Donaghy's involvement in the betting ring late last year via wiretapped telephone calls. The information refers to two separate calls in which Donaghy passed on picks, and two occasions (once in Toronto and once in Pennsylvania) during which he received money from coconspirators. Donaghy pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to transmit wagering information, both felonies. In a related criminal complaint filed against two of his associates, Donaghy is referred to as an FBI 'confidential source' who began placing bets on NBA games four years ago, including ones he officiated. According to prosecutors, during a meeting last December with James Battista and Thomas Martino, Donaghy was confronted with information that he was betting on NBA games through an associate (who is only identified as 'CS-2,' or Confidential Source 2). Battista allegedly proposed that Donaghy provide him with picks on upcoming games, for which the ref would pocket $2000 for each correct choice. Donaghy accepted Battista's offer and agreed that Martino would serve as the pair's intermediary (phone records reviewed by the FBI revealed hundred of calls between Donaghy and Martino between October 2006 and April 2007). Several weeks into the scheme, it was agreed that Donaghy's fee would be upped to $5000 for each correct NBA pick. (17 pages)

NBA Ref Guilty Plea
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