Free Republic

Ex-NBA referee Tim Donaghy recently accused the NBA of coercing referees to help the Brooklyn Nets defeat the less glamorous Toronto Raptors in their first round playoff series. This echoes previous claims by Donaghy about the NBA manipulating games. The most notorious example is Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference finals, when the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers staved off elimination by defeating the Sacramento Kings. Donaghy alleged that two referees (understood to be Dick Bavetta and Bob Delaney) fixed the game. Donaghy was convicted of betting on games so he may not seem a reliable accuser, but...

Radar Online is reporting that a bunch of Hollywood’s elite are being sued in connection with their participation in high-stakes poker games. The civil complaint alleges that the money won by said Hollywood elite was actually money stolen by a hedge-fund manager from his clients to pay off his enormous gambling debts. According to the report, Toby “Spider-Man” Maguire was the big winner making $1,000,000 a month in winnings. Interesting. Maybe the next time Maguire is in D.C. for a photo-op with President Obama, he can explain to the president why he’s exempt from paying his fair share of taxes...

Raids shut down alleged illegal gambling establishments in Appalachia Published 05/09/2006 By CARMEN MUSICK -Kingsport Times-News APPALACHIA - Virginia State Police converged on Main Street in Appalachia Saturday, shutting down four alleged illegal gambling establishments and seizing nearly $20,000 in cash and an untold amount of gambling supplies and paraphernalia. Wise County Special Prosecutor Tim McAfee said close to 40 law enforcement officers were involved in the search and seizure effort, "searching illegal gambling houses and associated residences, persons and vehicles." No arrests were made Saturday. The investigation is ongoing. "Our job today is primarily to close the gambling down,...

In an interview with Matt Bai published in today’s New York Times Magazine, Kerry made a very, very, very significant statement about how he would fight the war on terror. Kerry compared the war on terrorism with eradicating prostitution or illegal gambling. ''We have to get back to the place we were, where terrorists are not the focus of our lives, but they're a nuisance,'' Kerry said. ''As a former law-enforcement person, I know we're never going to end prostitution. We're never going to end illegal gambling. But we're going to reduce it, organized crime, to a level where it...