Indeks
Two high school classmates of former National Basketball Association referee Tim Donaghy were sentenced to prison by a federal judge in Brooklyn, New York, for their roles in a scheme she said ``compromised'' the game.
Thomas Martino, 42, was sentenced to a year and a day in jail after he pleaded guilty earlier this year to conspiring to defraud the league. James Battista, a professional gambler who also pleaded guilty, was sentenced to a 15-month term. Both men said Donaghy told them which NBA games to bet on. Martino admitted paying Donaghy for the picks.
``The NBA, the fans, depend on the integrity of the game,'' U.S. District Judge Carol Amon told Martino at the sentencing hearing today. ``No single person is more important to the game than the referee. If his interest is compromised in any way, the entire sport is compromised.''
Prosecutors said Martino and Battista, who attended Cardinal O'Hara High School in Springfield, Pennsylvania, with Donaghy, approached the veteran NBA referee in December 2006 and told him they were aware he was placing bets on games he refereed. They proposed an arrangement in which Donaghy would provide picks on games to Battista through Martino, prosecutors said. Battista's lawyer alleged Donaghy came up with the scheme.
Non-Public Information
Using non-public information he was privy to as a referee, including knowledge of player injuries, Donaghy recommended teams to bet on in exchange for a fee from Battista, paid through Martino, prosecutors said.
Martino delivered cash payments to Donaghy, usually about $5,000 for each correct pick, resulting in Battista earning hundreds of thousands of dollars in the scheme, prosecutors said.
``I'm not blaming either of my codefendants, Mr. Martino or Mr. Donaghy,'' Battista said, weeping, as he stood before the judge. ``I made bad choices and I take full responsibility for what I did.''
While Battista's lawyer, Jack McMahon, said his client deserved a term of house arrest, Amon said the actions of Battista, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transmitting wagering information, deserved a prison term, noting he was a ``professional gambler.''
``The lure of inside information was extraordinarily tempting,'' she said. ``The defendant must receive just punishment for succumbing to that temptation.''
She called their betting scheme ``particularly significant'' because it involved ``the corruption of the one participant in professional sports who is universally respected and expected to be above reproach, which is the referee.''
Pleaded Guilty
Martino, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, told Amon, ``I have learned an invaluable lesson. I would also like to apologize to all of those I've let down. I am very sorry it took an incident of this nature to wake me up to the realities of life. I have acted irresponsibly.''
Amon said Battista may surrender to federal prison authorities by Sept. 18 to begin serving his term while Martino may surrender by Oct. 16.
In a separate order filed late last night, she directed Battista, Martino and Donaghy be jointly and severally liable to pay $217,266 in restitution.
Under federal laws, Donaghy faces a maximum of 25 years in prison. He pleaded guilty last year to conspiring to engage in wire fraud and transmitting betting information through interstate commerce. He is to be sentenced by Amon July 29.
After court, Battista's lawyer, McMahon condemned Donaghy, saying, ``The whole thing could not have been accomplished without Donaghy--he's the only one who could make this happen. He hatched the whole scheme.''
The case is U.S. v. Donaghy, 07-cr-00587, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York (Brooklyn).
Thomas Martino, 42, was sentenced to a year and a day in jail after he pleaded guilty earlier this year to conspiring to defraud the league. James Battista, a professional gambler who also pleaded guilty, was sentenced to a 15-month term. Both men said Donaghy told them which NBA games to bet on. Martino admitted paying Donaghy for the picks.
``The NBA, the fans, depend on the integrity of the game,'' U.S. District Judge Carol Amon told Martino at the sentencing hearing today. ``No single person is more important to the game than the referee. If his interest is compromised in any way, the entire sport is compromised.''
Prosecutors said Martino and Battista, who attended Cardinal O'Hara High School in Springfield, Pennsylvania, with Donaghy, approached the veteran NBA referee in December 2006 and told him they were aware he was placing bets on games he refereed. They proposed an arrangement in which Donaghy would provide picks on games to Battista through Martino, prosecutors said. Battista's lawyer alleged Donaghy came up with the scheme.
Non-Public Information
Using non-public information he was privy to as a referee, including knowledge of player injuries, Donaghy recommended teams to bet on in exchange for a fee from Battista, paid through Martino, prosecutors said.
Martino delivered cash payments to Donaghy, usually about $5,000 for each correct pick, resulting in Battista earning hundreds of thousands of dollars in the scheme, prosecutors said.
``I'm not blaming either of my codefendants, Mr. Martino or Mr. Donaghy,'' Battista said, weeping, as he stood before the judge. ``I made bad choices and I take full responsibility for what I did.''
While Battista's lawyer, Jack McMahon, said his client deserved a term of house arrest, Amon said the actions of Battista, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transmitting wagering information, deserved a prison term, noting he was a ``professional gambler.''
``The lure of inside information was extraordinarily tempting,'' she said. ``The defendant must receive just punishment for succumbing to that temptation.''
She called their betting scheme ``particularly significant'' because it involved ``the corruption of the one participant in professional sports who is universally respected and expected to be above reproach, which is the referee.''
Pleaded Guilty
Martino, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, told Amon, ``I have learned an invaluable lesson. I would also like to apologize to all of those I've let down. I am very sorry it took an incident of this nature to wake me up to the realities of life. I have acted irresponsibly.''
Amon said Battista may surrender to federal prison authorities by Sept. 18 to begin serving his term while Martino may surrender by Oct. 16.
In a separate order filed late last night, she directed Battista, Martino and Donaghy be jointly and severally liable to pay $217,266 in restitution.
Under federal laws, Donaghy faces a maximum of 25 years in prison. He pleaded guilty last year to conspiring to engage in wire fraud and transmitting betting information through interstate commerce. He is to be sentenced by Amon July 29.
After court, Battista's lawyer, McMahon condemned Donaghy, saying, ``The whole thing could not have been accomplished without Donaghy--he's the only one who could make this happen. He hatched the whole scheme.''
The case is U.S. v. Donaghy, 07-cr-00587, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York (Brooklyn).
