Jailed NBA Referee Blames Gambling Addiction

A former NBA referee who was sentenced to prison for gambling on games says his addiction led him to bet on games he officiated.

NBA referee Tim Donaghy jailed for gambling addiction

Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for his part in a gambling scandal that rocked the Basketball World

Donaghy, who pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and transmitting betting information through interstate commerce, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Carol Amon in Brooklyn, New York.

The 41-year-old Donaghy, who worked for the NBA for 13 years before resigning in 2007, admitted that he provided inside information to professional gamblers about games he officiated. In exchange for the information, Donaghy received tens of thousands of dollars in payments.

In a statement released after his sentencing, Donaghy apologized for his actions and blamed his Gambling addiction for his involvement in the scandal.

“I deeply regret the damage I have done to the NBA and the game of basketball ” Donaghy said. “My relationship with Jack Murphy and associates was built on a foundation of lies and deceit and I am truly sorry for my part in this.”

Donaghy also said that he hoped his story would serve as a warning to others struggling with gambling addiction

“I hope that my story will act as a deterrent to others who might be tempted to fix games or engage in similar conduct,” he said.

NBA referee Tim Donaghy’s gambling addiction

Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy has blamed his Gambling addiction for leading him to bet on games he officiated. In an interview with the New York Times Donaghy said that his addiction led him to believe that he could predicting how games would turn out and that he could make money by betting on them.

Donaghy served 15 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in 2008. He was released in 2009 and has been working as a referee consultant since then.

NBA referee Tim Donaghy’s gambling addiction leads to jail time

NBA referee Tim Donaghy’s gambling addiction led to him placing bets on NBA games he officiated, including games he fixed to ensure a certain outcome. He pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and was sentenced to 15 months in prison.

NBA referee Tim Donaghy’s gambling addiction causes him to go to jail

NBA referee Tim Donaghy has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for providing inside information to professional gamblers.

Donaghy, 41, of Venice, Florida, admitted in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn last year that he took cash payoffs from a gambler in exchange for sharing information that could affect point spreads in NBA Games

The former NBA referee blamed his actions on a gambling addiction and said he started betting on games himself during his final season officiating. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and promoting gambling.

NBA referee Tim Donaghy blames gambling addiction for jail sentence

In an interview from prison, former NBA Referee Tim Donaghy blamed his gambling addiction for the 15-month jail sentence he is currently serving.

Donaghy pleaded guilty in 2007 to conspiracy to engage in wire fraud and transmitting betting information through interstate commerce, admitting that he places bets on games that he officiated. He was sentenced to 15 months in prison and three years’ probation, and was ordered to pay $217,000 in restitution.

“My gambling addiction led me down a dark path and caused me to make some terrible decisions,” Donaghy told ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” in an interview from the federal prison camp in Eglin, Fla. “I wish every day that I could go back and change what happened, but I can’t.”

Donaghy said that his gambling problem started when he was a youth basketball referee and escalated when he became an NBA Official He estimated that he placed bets on approximately two dozen NBA games during his career.

“The pressure of trying to win and make up for previous losses put me in a position where I feel like I had to bias certain calls in order for my bet to win,” Donaghy said. “And that’s wrong.”

NBA referee Tim Donaghy’s gambling addiction led to criminal charges

In 2007, NBA referee Tim Donaghy was sentenced to 15 months in prison for passing on sensitive information to gamblers in exchange for money. In a recent interview with The Huffington Post Donaghy blamed his criminal actions on a gambling addiction that he says took over his life.

Donaghy claims that he first started gambling on NBA Games while he was still working as a referee. He says that he would often bet on games that he officiated, and that his knowledge of the league gave him an edge when it came to placing successful bets.

Eventually, Donaghy’s gambling habits led him to start passing on information about upcoming games to gamblers in exchange for money. He says that his addictive behavior made it impossible for him to stop himself from engaging in this criminal activity, even though he knew it was wrong.

Donaghy served 15 months in prison for his role in the gambling scandal, and says that he has since been trying to turn his life around. He is currently working as a basketball coach and says that he is trying to use his experience as a cautionary tale to help others avoid making the same mistakes that he did.

NBA referee Tim Donaghy’s gambling addiction caused him to lose his job

NBA referee Tim Donaghy was sentenced to 15 months in prison on Friday for his role in a betting scandal that rocked the Basketball World

Donaghy, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and transmitting betting information through interstate commerce, admitted that he made calls that affected the point spread in games he officiated. In some cases, he even bet on games himself.

The scandal led to an investigation by the FBI and the NBA, and Donaghy was ultimately fired from his job. He has since been embroiled in a legal battle with the NBA, which he has accused of wrongful termination.

In an interview with ESPN Radio on Friday, Donaghy said that his gambling addiction was to blame for his actions.

“It’s something that I struggled with for many, many years,” he said. “It’s something that I couldn’t control.”

Donaghy said that he regrets his actions and wishes he could take back what he did. He also warned other people who are struggling with gambling addiction to seek help before it’s too late.

NBA referee Tim Donaghy’s gambling addiction led to his downfall

Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy was sentenced to 15 months in prison on Tuesday for his involvement in a gambling scandal that brought shame to the league.

Donaghy, 40, pleaded guilty in 2007 to two federal charges related to betting on games he officiated. He admitted to passing on inside information to professional gamblers, and also admitted to shaving points in order to manipulate the betting lines

In an interview with ESPN Radio on Tuesday, Donaghy blamed his gambling addiction for his downfall.

“I lived a double life for many years,” he said. “I had an addiction, and it led me down a dark path.”

Donaghy said that he tried to keep his gambling problem a secret from his family and friends, but that it eventually took over his life.

“It’s something that I’m not proud of, but it’s something that I have to deal with,” he said. “It’s something that I’m going to continue to work on.”

NBA referee Tim Donaghy’s gambling addiction caused him financial ruin

Tim Donaghy, the NBA referee who served 15 months in prison for betting on games he officiated, says his gambling addiction led to his financial ruin.

Donaghy, who was released from prison in 2009, spoke about his criminal past and addiction in an interview with “Good Morning America” that aired Tuesday.

The 54-year-old father of four said he started gambling on basketball games while working as an NBA referee from 1994 to 2007. He said he initially bet on games he wasn’t officiating to try to make some extra money, but then began betting on games he was working.

“It’s hard to say no when you’re making that much money and you can easily quadruple your salary by betting on games,” Donaghy said of his annual salary of about $250,000.

Donaghy said he first placed a bet on an NBA game in 2003 and that his gambling quickly spiraled out of control. He said he owed hundreds of thousands of dollars to bookies by the time he was sentenced to prison in 2008.

NBA referee Tim Donaghy’s gambling addiction led to personal tragedy

Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy was sentenced to 15 months in prison Thursday for his role in a gambling scandal, telling the court that a gambling addiction led to personal tragedy.

Donaghy, 41, pleaded guilty in August to charges of conspiracy to engage in wire fraud and transmitting betting information through interstate commerce. He admitted that he provided inside information to professional gamblers from 2005 to 2007, including which officials would be working games involving teams he bet on.

The charges stemmed from an FBI investigation that alleged Donaghy bet on games he officiated during his 13-year career with the NBA. He resigned from the league in 2007.

In a tearful statement before sentencing, Donaghy told the court that gambling had ruined his life, causing him to lie to his wife and children and leading him into debt.

“Your honor, I stand before you today a broken man,” he said. “Gambling has been my downfall.”

Donaghy’s attorney had asked for leniency, saying his client had been truthful with investigators and had accepted responsibility for his actions. Prosecutors had asked for a harsher sentence of up to 33 months, saying Donaghy’s conduct had tarnished the image of the NBA.