NBA ref Tim
Donaghy receiving threatening calls
NBA referee Tim Donaghy, who
is under investigation for illegal betting and affecting point
spread of basketball games, has received threatening calls.
The police has dispatched three sheriff cars at the Florida home
of
Tim Donaghy, the NBA ref under FBI investigation for illegal
betting, after he received at least two calls with threats on
his life. "There is reason for us to keep an eye on his place
and follow up," said the spokesman for the Manatee County
Sheriff's Office. According to the local police reports, the
calls came on Sunday, and both are believed to be made from the
same person.
The FBI is looking into the veteran NBA ref
Tim Donaghy in an alleged involvement in a betting ring, and
possible point spread fixing of games he has officiated and
betting on. According to the authorities, Tim Donaghy has a
gambling problem and was approached by a low-level mobster to
join an illegal betting ring. Some reports indicate that the
Feds don't have enough evidence to prove that Tim Donaghy
actually threw games he bet on, but they suspect that Donaghy
may have given confidential information to the mobsters. It is
also expected that the 13-year NBA veteran will implicate other
refs and players on illegal betting.
According to the NY Daily News, NBA knew
about Donaghy's gambling problem, and even sent a private
investigator last year to sniff around and question his former
neighbors in Pennsylvania. Despite the fact that his gambling
problem what somewhat confirmed, NBA allowed Donaghy to continue
working games for the rest of the season.
The NBA still keeps silent about the
referee betting scandal and said Commissioner David Stern would
speak publicly this week. Meanwhile, an NBA conference scheduled
for Monday was cancelled today.
Published on 07/23/2007
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