Ex-NBA ref reveals more rigged gambling scandals to be revealed…
In this DML Report…
Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy, who officiated for 13 years before being imprisoned in 2007 for fixing games due to gambling addiction, has warned that recent federal arrests represent only the "tip of the iceberg" in sports betting scandals. Donaghy pleaded guilty to wire fraud and transmitting wagering information across state lines, reportedly earning $300,000 by providing betting tips to bookies under pressure from the Gambino crime family, and served about 11 months of a 15-month sentence. In an appearance on NewsNation’s “Cuomo” on Thursday, he predicted a larger scandal emerging at the college level, where young athletes unlikely to reach professional leagues might accept money to manipulate game outcomes, such as winning by 12 points instead of 15, to support their families.
The warning follows FBI arrests of over 30 individuals on Thursday in an 11-state investigation, described by FBI Director Kash Patel as involving "mind-boggling" charges. The probe resulted in two main indictments: one for an illegal gambling ring accused of selling insider information to sports bettors, and another for rigged high-stakes poker games backed by New York City organized crime families, including the Bonanno, Lucchese, Gambino, and Genovese. Among those charged are Portland Trail Blazers coach and NBA Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups in the poker scheme, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier linked to prop bet manipulation in the betting ring, and former NBA player Damon "Dee Jones" Jones involved in both cases, including a failed $100,000 bet using Los Angeles Lakers information.
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The 31 arrests in the rigged poker ring include reputed mobsters such as Bonanno associate Ernest Aiello and Lucchese member Thomas “Tommy Juice” Gelardo, who faced prior charges in 2013 for assaulting a girlfriend, along with professional poker players like Saul Becher and Lee Fama. Other indicted individuals are Nelson “Spanish G” Alvarez, Louis “Lou Ap” Apicella, Ammar “Flapper Poker” Awawdeh, Matthew “The Wrestler” Daddino, Eric “Spooky” Earnest, John Gallo, Marco Garzon, Jamie Gilet, Tony “Black Tony” Goodson, Kenny Han, Shane “Sugar” Henne, Osman “Albanian Bruce” Hoti, Horatio Hu, Zhen “Scruli” Hu, Joseph Lanni, John “John South” Mazzola, Curtis Meeks, Nicholas Minucci, Michael Renzulli, Anthony Ruggiero Jr., Anthony “Doc” Shnayderman, Robert “Black Rob” Stroud, Seth Trustman, Sophia “Pookie” Wei, and Julius Ziliani. Donaghy's comments come ahead of a November 1 NCAA policy reversal allowing college athletes and staff to bet on professional sports.