Report: NBA Referee bets on games, including those he worked

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

NEW YORK -- The FBI is investigating allegations that a veteran NBA referee bet on basketball games over the past two seasons, including ones in which he officiated.

 

According to a law enforcement official, authorities are examining whether the referee made calls to affect the point spread in games on which he or associates had wagered.

 

The law enforcement official, who spoke to the AP on Friday on condition of anonymity, said the referee was aware of the investigation and had made arrangements to surrender as early as next week to face charges. The official, who did not identify the referee, is familiar with the investigation but was not authorized to speak publicly about the ongoing investigation.

 

The law enforcement official said the bets involved thousands of dollars and were made on games during the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 seasons.

 

The NBA issued a brief statement Friday: "We have been asked by the FBI, with whom we are working closely, not to comment on this matter at this time."

 

The FBI probe, which began recently, also involves allegations that the referee had connections to organized crime associates. Other arrests are expected, the official said.

 

The referee had a gambling problem, according to the official, and was approached by low-level mob associates through an acquaintance.

 

The investigation first was reported Friday by the New York Post.

 

Veteran oddsmaker John Avello, at the Wynn resort on the Las Vegas Strip, said that without specific information it would be difficult to identify wagering irregularities over the last two seasons.

 

"At this point, it's too early to know if any games were affected," Avello said, adding that no regulators or investigators had contacted him about the case.

 

Jay Kornegay, executive director of the sports book at the Las Vegas Hilton, said he had never seen any unusual activity in NBA betting, and was surprised not to have heard about an investigation until Friday.

 

"Whispers would have happened on the street, and we would have heard something," Kornegay said. "Any type of suspicious or unusual movements, you usually hear in the industry. We're so regulated and policed, any kind of suspicion would be discussed.

 

"We haven't seen anything like that in the NBA that I can remember," he said, "and we haven't been contacted by anybody."

 

Kornegay said legal sports betting in Nevada represents a fraction of sports betting worldwide, with 98.5 percent of all action taken outside the state.

 

Gambling long has been a problem in sports, and leagues have made a point of educating players of the potential pitfalls. The NBA, for example, discusses gambling at rookie orientation, even bringing in former mobster Michael Franceze to speak.

 

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

 

 

Source: ESPN

[bobobrazil1984 0]

I've read some convincing speculation (based on various things about the guy's past) that the ref in question is probably Bob Delaney.

[Black Lushus 0]

[Knicks Fan] I KNEW IT! [/Knicks Fan]

[SteakGrowsOnUecker 0]

Or it could be Knick Bavetta.

[CanadianChris 0]

And here I thought the refs just sucked.

 

If true, this is a disaster, an absolute nightmare for David Stern. Nothing is worse than allegations that the games are fixed.

[bobobrazil1984 0]

according to espn they're looking at Tim Donaghy

[Red Baron 0]

Did this alleged ref, refereed in the finals?

[bobobrazil1984 0]

i dont think so.

 

I read that Stephen A mentioned something about the ref on tape talking abouta Bulls/Blazers game point spread, but Donoghy didn't ref any of them (which is where the Bob Delaney speculation came from, he reffed a bulls/blazers game in which the game was over then suddenly a few fouls came in the last few seconds, with the FTs just beating the spread)

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Doubt that would matter, since an entire crew of shady officials wouldn't have been able to make the difference.

[UZI Suicide 0]

I bet this guy reffed the Heat-Mavs final.

 

I hope it's Joey Crawford.

[bobobrazil1984 0]

You guys remember when Sheed got suspended for like 7 games for getting into a shouting match with threats of violence with a referee outside the arena, for what he thought were unusually bad calls? (Portland days). that was this same guy: Tim Donaghy

 

This is some sweet justice!

 

ALso a fun fact, you guys remember Suns/Spurs game 3, the one that Amare played like 20 minutes because of fouls? Donaghy also reffed that one. I'm not saying anything here nor there in fact I never even saw that particular game, just that now everything Donaghy has been involved with is now going to be under the microscope.

[Smartly Pretty 0]

Who was the ref that tossed Tim Duncan for no reason? He'd be my first guess as to someone fixing games.

[bobobrazil1984 0]

more facts:

 

-the amount of games involved is "double figures"

 

-Stern/NBA has known about the investigation for over a year... that doesn't explain why Tim was refereeing an Nba playoff game.

[2GOLD 0]

more facts:

 

-the amount of games involved is "double figures"

 

-Stern/NBA has known about the investigation for over a year... that doesn't explain why Tim was refereeing an Nba playoff game.

 

I guess he was going for the extreme innocent until proven guilty or at least indicted path. I don't know what to think of this. If all it effected was the gamblers and was never really coming into play in close games, I'm not sure I care too much. Not to say he shouldn't have been fired and not allowed near the court cause damn well he should have.

 

But of the ways it could have been a worse nightmare is if his officiating effected tight games. Regardless, Stern has a major problem on his hands with this one. Last thing the NBA needed after that lackluster finals.