The NBA referee betting scandal
Referee Tim Donaghy bet on NBA games, including games he worked, and sold picks to gamblers. What the court records show, and what they don’t.
The question Did referee Tim Donaghy bet on games he worked, and were other games, like Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals, fixed?
What the records say
The documented story holds up: 12 of 12 timeline steps are Confirmed by the records (score 100).
3 theories checked: 3 unverified. A theory is rated by its key claim.
The NBA’s commissioned review reports no other referee bet on games
confirmedCredible: it rests on a primary (tier-1) record. See the step
Down the rabbit hole
The ground line is the documented timeline. Each tunnel is a theory that branches off it; every chamber is a step, coloured by how well the records support it. The deepest chamber is the theory’s key claim. Tap one to open it.
Main timeline
Oldest first- 31 May 2002confirmed
The Lakers beat the Kings in a disputed Game 6
Los Angeles won 106–102 to tie the 2002 Western Conference Finals at three games each, then won Game 7. The Lakers shot 27 free throws in the fourth quarter, and the officiating was widely criticised at the time.
- 2003confirmed
Donaghy starts betting on NBA games, including games he referees
The charging document says: “Approximately four years ago, DONAGHY began placing bets on NBA games, including games he officiated.” A friend placed the bets; they bet on about 30 to 40 games a year.
T1Criminal information, 15 Aug 2007¶ 7, p. 3T1Restitution opinion, 23 Jul 2008p. 2Sources disagreeThe 2008 restitution opinion says this betting began during the 2003–04 season. A government letter of 16 May 2008, as quoted in the NBA’s review, says “in or about March 2003”. Both are shown. - Dec 2006 – Apr 2007confirmed
Donaghy sells picks to two gamblers, using inside information
James Battista and Thomas Martino paid him cash for each correct pick and nothing for a wrong one; the government told the court the fee began at $2,000. At his plea he said: “Some of my picks included games I had been assigned to referee.”
T1Restitution opinion, 23 Jul 2008pp. 2–4T1Pedowitz report for the NBA, Oct 2008pp. 12–14, quoting government letters of May and June 2008 - 20 Jun 2007confirmed
The FBI tells the NBA one of its referees is under investigation
The next day senior NBA management were told Donaghy had bet on games, including games he worked. The league’s later review says the FBI gave no information that he had made calls to influence games.
- 15 Aug 2007confirmed
Donaghy pleads guilty to two federal felonies
He admitted conspiracy to commit wire fraud (depriving the NBA of his honest services) and conspiracy to transmit wagering information. Battista and Martino were charged the same day.
- Apr 2008confirmed
The two gamblers plead guilty
Martino pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on 16 April 2008, and Battista to conspiracy to transmit wagering information on 24 April 2008.
T1Restitution opinion, 23 Jul 2008pp. 1, 5–7 - 8 May 2008confirmed
Prosecutors find no evidence Donaghy made calls to win his bets
The government’s letter on his cooperation said there was “no evidence that Donaghy ever intentionally made a particular ruling during a game” to make a pick win. He acknowledged his money interest might have affected his refereeing subconsciously.
T1Pedowitz report for the NBA, Oct 2008pp. 15–16, quoting the government’s letter of 8 May 2008 at 5T2FOXNews.com, 14 Jul 2008 - 10 Jun 2008confirmed
Donaghy’s lawyer files his allegations against referees and the league
Seeking a lighter sentence, the letter summarised what Donaghy told investigators: that two referees wanted to extend a 2002 playoff series, that league officials steered calls in a 2005 series, and that some referees had improper ties to teams. These are allegations; they name no teams or people.
- 9 Jul 2008confirmed
The prosecutor tells the court much of it was unsubstantiated
The prosecutor agreed Donaghy had told the government what the letter describes, “but a lot of it was unsubstantiated and that’s important.” He added that a number of the allegations turned out not to “hold any water.”
- 23 Jul 2008confirmed
The court orders $217,266.94 in restitution to the NBA
The NBA had asked for $1 million, then $1,395,104.89. The court allowed part of Donaghy’s pay, part of the league’s lawyers’ fees and the cost of reviewing game film for the government.
T1Restitution opinion, 23 Jul 2008pp. 1–2, 7–9, 40 - 29 Jul 2008confirmed
Donaghy is sentenced to 15 months in prison
Judge Carol Bagley Amon also imposed three years of supervised release. She said the NBA, the players and the fans “relied on him to perform his job in an honest manner.” He had faced up to 33 months.
- 1 Oct 2008confirmed
The NBA’s commissioned review reports no other referee bet on games
Lawrence Pedowitz, a lawyer hired by the NBA, reported “no information suggesting that any NBA referee other than Tim Donaghy has bet on NBA games”. It also found no evidence of inappropriate conduct in the games Donaghy’s letter described.
T1Pedowitz report for the NBA, Oct 2008pp. ES 2–4, 27
Branches
Go down oneA branch is only as strong as its weakest step so far. The count is how many sources back each step.
Game 6, 2002 Western Conference Finals
Did referees fix Game 6 to force a seventh game?
- confirmed
The game drew heavy criticism at the time
The Lakers shot 27 free throws in the fourth quarter and scored 16 of their last 18 points at the line. Ralph Nader and the League of Fans wrote to the commissioner asking for a review.
StartStrength so far:confirmed· 3 sources on this step - confirmed
June 2008: Donaghy’s lawyer alleges two referees wanted a Game 7
The letter says Donaghy learned from one referee that two “company men” wanted to extend the series and called “made-up fouls on Team 5”. It names no teams; its description matches Game 6. Confirmed only that this was alleged.
= HoldsStrength so far:confirmed· 2 sources on this step - confirmed
The game’s referees deny it
Ted Bernhardt, one of the three, told ESPN.com: “I stand by my calls in that game.” The NBA’s review says the other two also denied favouring the Lakers.
= HoldsStrength so far:confirmed· 2 sources on this step - confirmed
The NBA’s own reviewers count the errors
League officiating staff found 15 wrong calls or non-calls: 8 favoured the Lakers and 7 the Kings; 2 of the 3 fourth-quarter errors favoured the Lakers. The review found no “evidentiary or logical support” for the allegation.
T1Pedowitz report for the NBA, Oct 2008pp. 74–75, 81= HoldsStrength so far:confirmed· 1 source on this step - unverified
Key claim: Game 6 was fixed
The only record for it is Donaghy’s second-hand account, made while he sought a lighter sentence. Prosecutors said much of what he told them was unsubstantiated, without saying which parts. The game-by-game rebuttal is the NBA’s own.
T1Donaghy’s lawyer to the court, 10 Jun 2008pp. 1, 3–4T1Hearing transcript, 9 Jul 2008p. 21▼ WeakerStrength so far:unverified· 2 sources on this step
Bullshit meter
- Key claim: Game 6 was fixed. Unverified.
- Key claim contradicted by tier 1? Not by an independent record. The detailed rebuttal is the NBA’s own review (see the interest meter), and the prosecutor’s “unsubstantiated” remark did not single out this game, so reviewers decide.
Fluff meter: possibly planted
- Can’t be traced to an original record. Absent: traced to the 10 June 2008 court letter.
- First appeared from new or anonymous accounts. Not measured.
- Coordinated identical wording. Not measured.
- Cited source doesn’t exist. Absent: the letter exists and was read.
- Later contradicted. Not counted: the only detailed contradiction is the NBA’s own review.
● present · ○ absent · – not measured. Lists signals only. It never accuses anyone.
Personal interest meter
- Tim Donaghy, made the allegation in a letter asking the court to reduce his sentence for cooperating. T1Donaghy’s lawyer to the court, 10 Jun 2008p. 1
- The 2008 review, was written for the NBA by Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, whose fees as the NBA’s counsel in the criminal case the court ordered repaid to the NBA. T1Restitution opinion, 23 Jul 2008pp. 8–9, 30–31
- The error count, for the game was made by the NBA’s own Basketball Operations staff. T1Pedowitz report for the NBA, Oct 2008pp. 74–75
“Has a documented interest” only, each one sourced. Never an implication of guilt.
Correlation meter
- Donaghy’s 10 June 2008 letter, is the source of the Game 6 claim, the claims about other referees and the 2005 series claim (main timeline step 8 and all three branches). T1Donaghy’s lawyer to the court, 10 Jun 2008pp. 1–4
- The prosecutor’s 9 July 2008 remark, that “a lot of it was unsubstantiated” bears on all three branches. T1Hearing transcript, 9 Jul 2008p. 21
- Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, wrote the NBA’s 2008 review and was the NBA’s counsel in the criminal case (main timeline step 12 and all three branches). T1Restitution opinion, 23 Jul 2008pp. 30–31
Links to other cases appear once those cases exist.
Who worked on this
This case was assembled by the site from public records. Contributions are not open yet. Nothing here is invented, so the counts are zero.
This is the first published version of the case.
Sources
- T1Information, United States v. Timothy Donaghy, No. 07-CR-587 (CBA), U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York, filed 15 Aug 2007 (docket entry 2). storage.courtlistener.com
- T1“National Basketball Association Referee Pleads Guilty to Participating in an Illegal Sports Betting Scheme Involving NBA Games”, press release, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of New York, 15 Aug 2007. www.justice.gov
- T1Memorandum and Order on restitution, United States v. Donaghy, No. 07-CR-587 (CBA), and United States v. Battista and Martino, No. 08-CR-86 (CBA), E.D.N.Y., 23 Jul 2008 (docket entry 51; 570 F. Supp. 2d 411). www.govinfo.gov
- T1Transcript of oral argument before Judge Carol Bagley Amon, United States v. Donaghy and United States v. Battista and Martino, E.D.N.Y., 9 Jul 2008 (docket entry 45, filed 11 Jul 2008). storage.courtlistener.com
- T1Docket, United States v. Donaghy, No. 1:07-cr-00587 (E.D.N.Y.), including entry 54: judgment ordered 29 Jul 2008 (RECAP copy on CourtListener). www.courtlistener.com
- T1Letter from John F. Lauro (Donaghy’s lawyer) to Judge Carol Bagley Amon regarding sentencing, dated 12 May 2008, filed 19 May 2008 (docket entry 15). A record of the defence’s arguments, not of their truth.. storage.courtlistener.com
- T1Letter from John F. Lauro (Donaghy’s lawyer) to Judge Carol Bagley Amon, “Supplemental 5K1.1 Letter”, 10 Jun 2008, filed on the docket of No. 07-CR-587. A record of Donaghy’s allegations, not of their truth.. www.courtlistener.com · copy read: thesmokinggun.com
- T1Lawrence B. Pedowitz, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, “Report to the Board of Governors of the National Basketball Association”, 1 Oct 2008. Commissioned by the NBA, an interested party.. assets.espn.go.com
- T2“Ex-NBA Ref: Officials Threw Playoff Game”, CBS News / Associated Press, 11 Jun 2008. www.cbsnews.com
- T2Chris Sheridan, “2002 Lakers-Kings Game 6 at heart of Donaghy allegations”, ESPN.com (with information from the Associated Press), 10 Jun 2008. www.espn.com
- T2“Retired NBA ref refutes Donaghy allegations from ’02 playoffs”, ESPN.com news services (with the Associated Press), 15 Jun 2008. www.espn.com
- T2Tom Hays, Associated Press, “Donaghy gets 15-month sentence”, as published by The Spokesman-Review, 30 Jul 2008. www.spokesman.com
- T2“Ex-NBA ref gets 15 months for betting”, CNN.com, 29 Jul 2008. www.cnn.com
- T2Mike Pesca, “Former NBA Referee Sentenced”, All Things Considered, NPR, 29 Jul 2008 (transcript). www.npr.org
- T2FOXNews.com report on Donaghy’s phone records and sealed court documents, published 14 Jul 2008. Cited here only for its quotation of the government’s May 2008 letter.. www.foxnews.com