9 months ago
Two Detroit-area businessmen led a pair of sports-fixing schemes that involved at least seven University of Toledo football and men's basketball players and one pro horse racing jockey, according to federal indictments unsealed Wednesday in Detroit.
The charges culminated an investigation that spanned more than two years, and centered on Ghazi "Gary" Manni, 52, of Sterling Heights, Mich., and Mitchell Edward Karam, 76, of Troy, Mich. They allegedly gave money and other gifts to the then-Toledo athletes between December 2004 and December 2006 to provide inside information, "control events during games," and/or attempt to recruit teammates to join the scheme.
"This case is an example of how organized crime can influence intercollegiate athletics," FBI agent Andrew Arena said in a statement. "These charges are an important step in maintaining the integrity of intercollegiate athletics and a message to the athletes who decide to participate in such activities."
Among the six athletes charged Wednesday are 2007 Mid-American Conference basketball defensive player of the year Kashif Payne, a point guard, and 2005 second-team All-MAC guard Keith Triplett. Also charged were running backs Adam Cuomo, Harvey "Scooter" McDougle and Quinton Broussard and forward Anton Currie. Another former basketball player, Sammy Villegas, was charged in the case last year. He is scheduled to be sentenced in June.
McDougle's father, Harvey McDougle Sr., said his son is a victim of "guilt by association."
"This has got me confused. I thought this was over and done with," said McDougle Sr. during a telephone interview Wednesday.
Toledo spokesman Lawrence Burns said, "We take these claims seriously. We've cooperated and done everything asked of us. We really have turned the page."
Manni and Karam allegedly bet about $407,000 on 17 Toledo basketball games alone from November 2005 through December 2006.
Looking back, one betting expert said there was something strange about those stretch of games.
"There were indications the team was underperforming," said R.J. Bell, founder and CEO of Pregame.com. "There isn't a huge sample size, but given the games in the indictment, the data fits the pattern of point-shaving to a T."
Bell said Toledo was 6-11 against the spread - the predicted differential between the winning team and losing team's score. He'd expect it closer to .500. But Bell said there were some alarming trends in specific games, like a Jan..18, 2006, contest between Toledo and Miami (Ohio). According to the official play-by-play, with 25 seconds remaining and Toledo trailing by 10, Payne committed a foul and Miami made two free throws. Then Villegas missed a layup. Another Toledo player made a three-pointer for the final margin.
The point spread predicted Miami would win by six points, but it won by nine (58-49).
NCAA officials refused to speculate if Toledo could be sanctioned for the alleged point-shaving, but added that it's taken notice. "Point-shaving allegations are taken very seriously by the Association," spokesman Bob Williams said in a statement. "There is no doubt that sports wagering threatens the well-being of student-athletes and can affect the integrity of our games."
Manni did not respond to requests for comment.
But in the midst of the federal point-shaving investigation in 2007, Manni told USA TODAY the government had no evidence of wrongdoing despite prolonged surveillance of his telephone communications and other activities throughout the Detroit area, where Manni and Karam live.
"They got nothing," Manni said then, adding that his contacts with Toledo athletes were about friendship and had nothing to do with fixing games. Manni said he had developed close friendships with numerous athletes.
Prosecutors also allege Manni and Karam made contact with three of the three former Toledo football players charged - Adam Cuomo, Harvey McDougle and Quinton Broussard - before the 2005 GMAC Bowl.
Karam's attorney, Brian Legghio, denied his client was culpable. "We dispute that my client had any illegal, direct contact with any University of Toledo athletes," Legghio said.
According to the other indictment, Manni and Karam paid then-jockey Ricardo Alfredo Valdes to influence or try to influence, Thoroughbred races at Tampa Bay Downs, Delaware Park and elsewhere from December 2005 to December 2006. Manni and Karam allegedly bet on the fixed races.
No defendant was in custody Wednesday. Gina Balaya, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, says prosecutors and defense lawyers were discussing dates for arraignments that could begin this week.
Sources: U.S. Attorney, USA TODAY research
Contributing: Mike McCarthy
By A.J. Perez and Kevin Johnson, USA TODAY
