People always like to think that college sports is purer than professional sports; The athletes don’t get paid, the pressures aren’t the same. But along comes a scandal like this. It makes you step back and think again.
Paul Egan
The Detroit News
DETROIT — Two area businessmen and six former University of Toledo athletes were indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday in connection with a bribery and point-shaving scandal.
The businessmen, Ghazi “Gary” Manni, 52, of Sterling Heights and Mitchell Edward Karam, 76, of Troy, also were indicted along with a former professional jockey on charges they tried to fix horse-racing events at Tampa Bay Downs in Tampa, Fla.
Charged in the Toledo point-shaving case are Manni; Karam; Anton Du’ane Currie, 25, of Okemos; Harvey Lamont “Scooter” McDougle Jr., 24, of East Cleveland, Ohio; Keith Junior Triplett, 29, of Toledo; Adam Ryan Cuomo, 31, of Hagersville, Ontario; Kashif Lashon Payne, 24, of Chester, Pa.; and Quinton James Broussard, 25, of Carrollton, Texas.
The 20-count indictment alleges that between December 2004 and December 2006, Manni and Karam bribed players to influence the scores of football and basketball games. The businessmen would then bet on the games, the indictment alleges.
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