Eight charged with point shaving at Toledo

DETROIT (AP) " Two Detroit-area businessmen were charged with paying and giving gifts to basketball and football players at the University of Toledo to take part in a point-shaving scheme, according to a federal indictment filed Wednesday.

Six former Toledo players also were accused of taking part in the alleged scheme by either affecting the outcomes in games or giving the two businessmen information so that they could place wagers on the games.

The FBI began investigating point shaving at Toledo four years ago. They said the scheme began in the fall of 2004 and continued until 2006.

Ghazi Manni, 52, of Sterling Heights and Mitchell Karam, 76, of Troy were charged with conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery.

The pair bet about $407,000 on Toledo basketball games between November 2005 and December 2006, according to the indictment.

The six players also were charged with conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery.

The indictment charges three former football players: Adam Cuomo, 31, Harvey "Scooter" McDougle Jr., 24, and Quinton Broussard, 25. Also charged were former basketball players Keith Triplett, 29, Anton Currie, 25, and Kashif Payne, 24.

Until now, only three former players at the school had been linked to the allegations.

Former basketball player Sammy Villegas was charged last June with shaving points in games during the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons. He has not entered a plea, but he is scheduled to be sentenced in June.

Charges against McDougle were dropped two years as the investigation continued. McDougle has denied involvement.

Documents unsealed last month in federal court accused Cuomo of recruiting his teammates and basketball players at the school to take part in the alleged scheme.

Cuomo told investigators he gave information about upcoming games to the Detroit gambler and that he introduced numerous athletes to meet with the gambler, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court in Detroit.

A message seeking comment was left Wednesday with Manni's attorney, Neil Fink. Karam could not be reached for comment.

Manni has repeatedly said that he knew many football and basketball players at the school, but they did not fix any games.

Triplett said two years ago that he knew Manni, but was never asked to shave points. Triplett's attorney, Ray Richards, said Wednesday the former Toledo player is innocent.

"At this point I have not read indictment so I really don't have too much information," Richards said. Triplett is currently playing overseas, he said.

Athletic officials at Toledo have allowed federal authorities to take the lead on the investigation. No current players are thought to be involved in the allegations.

University spokesman Lawrence Burns said the school's athletic program has undergone a thorough review since the allegation first surfaced and administrators believe that its foundation is solid.

"In our minds, it's really behind us," he said. "It's certainly very serious and we take it serious."

The school notified the NCAA on Wednesday about the indictments, Burns said. "At this point, we're not aware of any ramifications that may come about because of this," he said.

On its Web site, the NCAA said: "The NCAA is disappointed and concerned to hear about the point-shaving indictments involving former University of Toledo student-athletes and other individuals. These type of activities are precisely why the NCAA continues to take such a strong stance against any sports wagering."

The football and basketball coaches who were at Toledo when authorities say the scheme took place are now gone. Athletic officials have said their departures were not tied to the gambling allegations.

Manni and Karam also were charged Wednesday along with a former jockey in a separate, 19-count indictment accusing them of fixing races at a Tampa, Fla., horse track and elsewhere.