TOLEDO, Ohio — A former University of Toledo men's basketball player has been charged in an alleged point-shaving scheme, federal court documents show.
Prosecutors in Detroit allege that Samuel Aviles Villegas and another unnamed Toledo player accepted money to fix games in the 2004-05 and '05-06 seasons. Villegas, who allegedly paid the teammate, faces one felony count of conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery.
ARCHIVE: Toledo box score from Feb. 4, 2006
In a game Feb. 4, 2006, he "intentionally missed two free throw attempts," prosecutors allege.
Toledo played Central Michigan on that date, and won by 16 points, according to Toledo's athletics website. USA TODAY sports analyst Danny Sheridan, citing SportsOptions.com of Las Vegas, in the opening betting line for that game, Toledo was favored by 15 points; when the line closed, it had fallen to 14 to 14½ points.
John L. Belanger, listed in the court documents as Villegas' lawyer, could not be reached. Assistant U.S. Attorney Saima Mohsin declined to comment.
Last year, federal authorities arrested former Toledo running back Harvey "Scooter" McDougle Jr., and charged him with trying to fix football and men's basketball games from 2003 to 2006. They later dropped the charges but said they would continue the investigation.
Toledo spokesman Lawrence Burns released a statement that said, "We have looked at these issues intensely over the last year and believe, if true, they represent no more than isolated instances." Toledo will "fully cooperate" with prosecutors, but the charges "stem from days that are behind us."
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/colle...-charged_N.htm
Prosecutors in Detroit allege that Samuel Aviles Villegas and another unnamed Toledo player accepted money to fix games in the 2004-05 and '05-06 seasons. Villegas, who allegedly paid the teammate, faces one felony count of conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery.
ARCHIVE: Toledo box score from Feb. 4, 2006
In a game Feb. 4, 2006, he "intentionally missed two free throw attempts," prosecutors allege.
Toledo played Central Michigan on that date, and won by 16 points, according to Toledo's athletics website. USA TODAY sports analyst Danny Sheridan, citing SportsOptions.com of Las Vegas, in the opening betting line for that game, Toledo was favored by 15 points; when the line closed, it had fallen to 14 to 14½ points.
John L. Belanger, listed in the court documents as Villegas' lawyer, could not be reached. Assistant U.S. Attorney Saima Mohsin declined to comment.
Last year, federal authorities arrested former Toledo running back Harvey "Scooter" McDougle Jr., and charged him with trying to fix football and men's basketball games from 2003 to 2006. They later dropped the charges but said they would continue the investigation.
Toledo spokesman Lawrence Burns released a statement that said, "We have looked at these issues intensely over the last year and believe, if true, they represent no more than isolated instances." Toledo will "fully cooperate" with prosecutors, but the charges "stem from days that are behind us."
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/colle...-charged_N.htm
