UT point-shaving scheme?

A criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Detroit said the player, Harvey “Scooter” McDougle Jr., 22, a senior, recruited football and basketball players to participate in the scheme spearheaded by a Sterling Heights man identified only as “Gary.” Gary’s recruitment of players allegedly included inviting the athletes to gamble and dine at Greektown Casino in Detroit. The complaint said one player was offered $10,000 to sit out a football game. Other players received cash, groceries, merchandise and other gifts, the complaint said.

No other players were identified in the complaint, so it is unclear how many players or teams at Toledo were involved in the scheme, or whether teams at other schools are being investigated. There was no indication in the complaint that players threw any games because of the scheme.

In November 2005, the Detroit FBI began intercepting phone calls to and from Gary’s residence to find out about his illegal gambling and sports bribery operation and who it involved. The wiretaps stopped in December 2006. Gary was identified only as an Iraqi male.

The complaint said Gary, McDougle and others bribed Toledo athletes to influence the final score of specific games, so Gary and the others could bet on the games with illegal sports bookmakers. Gary met the players through a Toledo cellular phone store where university athletes shopped. He eventually was introduced to a Rockets football player at the store, who introduced Gary to other school athletes.

In the months that followed, Gary invited the players to Detroit, where he wined and dined them at restaurants and invited them to gamble at casinos. Once he evaluated the players, he would ask them to participate in a point shaving scheme in exchange for cash and gifts. On Dec. 2, 2005, the complaint said, FBI agents saw McDougle and other Toledo players meet with Gary at a Detroit restaurant before heading to the VIP area of the Greektown Casino.

Players who agreed to participate were told about the betting line, the point spread for a particular game. If the team were a three-point favorite, anyone who bet on the Rockets would win if the Rockets won by four points or more. Anyone who bet on the opponent could still win if the opponent lost by three points and less, the complaint said.

McDougle, who appeared in court wearing gray sweatpants, a gray sweatshirt and black Nike shoes, is to return to court April 20 for a preliminary examination. U.S. Magistrate Judge Virginia Morgan told McDougle he should not discuss the case with the media or anyone else. The charge carries a sentence of up to five years in prison with a fine of up to $250,000.

More charges are expected, though Assistant U.S. Attorney David Morris, who is handling the case, would not confirm Friday more people would be charged in the case. The alleged scheme stretched from fall 2003 through winter 2006, the complaint alleges. The University of Toledo had no immediate comment on the criminal complaint. Numerous recruits from Metro Detroit have played for the University of Toledo.

Even though McDougle told the FBI he received a car, telephone and other gifts from Gary, he insisted it never changed the way he played to affect the outcome of games. While there was no indication in the complaint that players threw any games because of the scheme, the document alleges that Gary, McDougle and others bribed Toledo athletes to impact the final score of specific games, so bets could be made on the games with illegal sports bookmakers.

Mcdougle will be a senior next season. He is currently listed fourth on the teams depth chart. He sat out the 2003 season due to NCAA academic restrictions. In 2004, Mcdougle led the rockets with 620 yards rushing and seven touchdowns. As a starter, he gained over a hundred yards in three consecutive games. In the Mac championship game, he suffered a knee injury. In that 2004 season Toledo was 9-3 overall and 9-3 against the spread, which was 10th best out 118 division one teams. The following year Mcdougle played sparingly on special teams and did not see any action at running back. Last year he also played a very small role on the team.

McDougle, a senior, recruited football and basketball players to participate in the scheme.

In a prepared statement, Tobin Klinger, Senior Director of University Communication for UT said, "[The University of Toledo] will evaluate the allegations in the complaint and will fully comply with federal authorities in their investigation. [UT] is committed to the highest standards of ethical conduct and will not tolerate any alleged criminal activity."

The statement went on to say McDougle has been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.

Mr. McDougle and other co-conspirators allegedly accepted money and other “things of value to University of Toledo athletes” to influence or attempt to influence the outcome of games. FBI agents began the investigation into the betting operation in 2003, using wire taps to record telephone conversations between players and a Toledo businessman.

Gary Manni, reached by phone Friday at King Cole Foods, a grocery store in Detroit, acknowledged that he's the Gary in the complaint but denied bribing McDougle or anyone else to shave points. Manni said he's a professional gambler but added, "I didn't bribe nobody," then hung up the phone.

On Dec. 2, 2005, FBI agents spotted Gary with McDougle and other Toledo players at a Detroit restaurant before they headed to the VIP area of the Greektown Casino.

"Once Gary and the players knew the line, they would decide if they could beat the spread," the complaint said. "If they were picked as an underdog by 10 points, they would decide if they could beat the 10-point spread. If they were picked as a favorite by a certain number of points, the players would decide if they would most likely win by that much. Once Gary consulted the players, he would decide how he wanted them to play the game to affect the outcome," the affidavit said.

On Nov. 5, 2005, the FBI intercepted a call in which Gary told someone who was then a Toledo basketball player that McDougle "had taken care of" certain players on the football team who would be helping Gary to influence that day's game, the affidavit stated.

The next month, the FBI intercepted another call in which McDougle told Gary that he would contact other football players to see whether he and Gary would make some money on the GMAC Bowl against Texas-El Paso, Max said.

In another call that month, McDougle asked Gary to place a $2,000 bet for him on the game, Max wrote. During the call, Gary allegedly told McDougle that another player would be helping out. During an interview with the FBI on Dec. 14, 2005, McDougle admitted knowing Gary and that Gary regularly gambled on Toledo football and basketball games, the agent said. McDougle told the FBI that another Toledo football player had introduced him to Gary. McDougle said he provided Gary with information about Toledo games so Gary could bet on them

One of the games McDougle allegedly helped fix was the 2005 GMAC Bowl against the University of Texas-El Paso, which Toledo won, 45-13, the complaint said. McDougle allegedly asked Gary to bet $2,000 for him on the game. McDougle didn't play because he was recovering from major knee surgery.

"We will evaluate the allegations in the complaint and will fully comply with federal authorities in their investigation," said Tobin J. Klinger, senior director of university communications.

Former teammates were shocked by the news. "That does not sound like the Scooter I know," said Ted Rath of Monroe, a senior linebacker on last year's team. "If you're part of the University of Toledo football team, you're not a person who would accept money like that," Rath added. "You have to be a type of young man that has morals and is not going to go that route." He also said point shaving goes against everything that Rockets coach Tom Amstutz preaches. "He runs a clean program," Rath said. "He preaches daily about becoming better football players and better men."

Point-shaving allegations at Toledo were news to Mid-American Conference commissioner Rick Chryst, who is unaware of any previous allegations toward the school. Chryst said the conference will work with Toledo officials throughout the legal process.

There are no immediate plans to investigate other schools within the conference. But Chryst stressed the importance of cooperation at this time and the education programs the NCAA and MAC provide to steer student-athletes away from gambling. "Our posture in this is to work with the institution in terms of any materials or background work that needs to be done," Chryst said.

Michigan has been a fertile recruiting area for Toledo athletics. Eighteen players from Michigan were on the Rockets' 2006 football roster, and three on the 2006-07 basketball roster.

As the 2005 GMAC Bowl drew closer, a Michigan gambler assured other bettors that University of Toledo football player Harvey "Scooter" McDougle offered bribes to teammates so the point spread would be covered, according to a federal criminal complaint. His teammates defeated Texas-El Paso 45-13 in the Dec. 21, 2005, bowl game in Mobile, Ala.

Mr. McDougle could not be reached for comment last night. UT Athletic Director Mike O'Brien, reached in Atlanta where he is attending the NCAA basketball tournament's Final Four, said his superiors have prohibited him from commenting on the situation. Tom Amstutz, UT's head football coach, could not be reached for comment. Stan Joplin, UT's head basketball coach, would not comment.

The house on Avondale where Mr. McDougle lived appeared vacant yesterday. A neighbor who asked not to be named said Mr. McDougle moved from the house earlier this year. Antoine Jones, 14, who lives across the street, said he remembers the nice cars parked at the house when his neighbors still lived there: a Mercedes-Benz, a Lexus, and "two sports cars."

While the UT football team held afternoon spring practice inside the Glass Bowl, reporters and news vans gathered outside in a parking lot. When players started to return to their cars shortly after 6 p.m., university officials asked them not to talk to the media.

This will be a huge blow to Toledo Football Coach Tom Amstutz. He's considered one of the better coaches in the MAC and often mentioned as a potential target for the bigger name schools. Few coaches, though, survive point shaving scandals.