NBA Ref Donaghy Pleads Guilty

[sidekick]

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<!--endclickprintexclude--><!--startclickprintexclude--> <!--endclickprintexclude--> 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.
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<!--===========/IMAGE===========--><!--===========CAPTION==========-->Tim Donaghy was an NBA referee for 13 years. He worked more than 700 games in his career.<!--===========/CAPTION=========-->

<!-- /PURGE: /2007/US/law/08/15/nba.ref/art.donaghy.ap.jpg --><!-- /REAP --> <!--endclickprintexclude--> 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 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.<!--startclickprintexclude--> E-mail to a friend

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CNN's Allan Chernoff, Kelli Arena and David Miller contributed to this report.
Copyright 2007 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.
All About NBA Basketball • David Stern

 

[salsadancer7]

NOW he is gonna "sing like a canary"...!

Seems that the smug NBA commissioner MIGHT have been jumping the gun by calling this ref a "rogue, isolated criminal". In many ways, it couldn't happen to a nicer commissioner.....the commissioner that thinks he is BIGGER than the game.

Donaghy to share info about other refs with feds

Former NBA official Tim Donaghy will reportedly give federal prosecutors information that will implicate other referees in some forms of gambling activity as part of his cooperation with government officials. The offenses might not include any criminal activity, but could draw the ire of NBA commissioner David Stern, who has insisted the Donaghy situation was that of a "rogue, isolated criminal."

A report on 1050 ESPN Radio in New York said Donaghy will give prosecutors as many as 20 names of other NBA officials and will detail their involvement in some form of gambling activity. The specifics of the gambling allegations are reportedly believed to include betting in casinos. "As far as we know, the misconduct was isolated to one individual, and we'll stand by that until proven otherwise," National Basketball Referees Association director Lamell McMorris told ESPN.com's Chris Sheridan. "We'll review whatever information Tim Donaghy alleges, but as far as we're concerned, the only person whose conduct has been proven wrong is Tim Donaghy. We're dealing with truth, not hearsay, and the truth is that the only person who has pleaded guilty to any kind of wrongdoing is Tim Donaghy."

ESPN - Donaghy to share info about other refs with feds - NBA

 

[Ramy]

I hope he is just blowing smoke about the other refs or the NBA will have one huge black eye.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

If this true, it would be very damaging to the league. Stern has said they will follow this through where ever it goes - we'll see. It's my feeling that we will never know the whole story. Sweeping this under the rug will be very bad for business in the NBA.

 

[salsadancer7]

If this true, it would be very damaging to the league. Stern has said they will follow this through where ever it goes - we'll see. It's my feeling that we will never know the whole story. Sweeping this under the rug will be very bad for business in the NBA.

To me, it is absolutely IMPOSSIBLE that he could have done this alone. He HAD to have had accomplices....You don't think the MAIN crew chief of the games he was reffing would have seen something then said something....come on.....?!! I think there were ALOT of them.....I think this might ONLY be the beginning....

 

[riffjim4069]

NBA Ref Donaghy Pleads Guilty...

...well, before just the players were human pieces are garbage...now it's the Refs too. The NBA, coupled with the fact the best players are now in Europe (World Championships to boot!), or should I say Criminal Basketball Association (BBA), will continue its uphill battle for ratings and respect. I predict the days of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird are long gone.

NBA, El Stinko!:down:down

 

[Paul Wozniak]

To me, it is absolutely IMPOSSIBLE that he could have done this alone. He HAD to have had accomplices....You don't think the MAIN crew chief of the games he was reffing would have seen something then said something....come on.....?!! I think there were ALOT of them.....I think this might ONLY be the beginning....

I hope you're wrong about this, but what you say makes much sense. (Did I just say that in print?)

 

[sidekick]

I think there might be one or two others involved. Any more than that would have been difficult to keep under cover for a long period of time.

 

[salsadancer7]

I think there might be one or two others involved. Any more than that would have been difficult to keep under cover for a long period of time.

I think it is very possible that more were involved.

 

[sidekick]

Very possibly .... I just hope not .....

I think it is very possible that more were involved.

 

[salsadancer7]

Very possibly .... I just hope not .....

IF it is MORE than...let's say 5....EVERY SINGLE player in the NBA will question EVERY SINGLE call made...This will be the case where a few badd apples can COMPLETE spoil the whole bunch.....

Man this is ugly....

 

[sidekick]

I'm in total agreement.

IF it is MORE than...let's say 5....EVERY SINGLE player in the NBA will question EVERY SINGLE call made...This will be the case where a few badd apples can COMPLETE spoil the whole bunch.....

Man this is ugly....