Manni, Currie plead not guilty in alleged UT point-shaving scheme

5/11/2009

DETROIT - Ghazi "Gary" Manni and Anton Currie were arraigned Monday on charges of conspiracy to commit sports bribery in U.S. District Court, according to Gina Balaya, a spokesman with the U.S. Attorney's office.

Manni, a Detroit area businessman, and Currie, a former University of Toledo basketball player, were indicted Wednesday in connection with an alleged point-shaving scheme at UT.

Both entered pleas of not guilty and were released Monday.

The federal charges are against former UT football players Cuomo, 31, of Hagersville, Ont.; Harvey Lamont "Scooter" McDougle Jr., 24, of East Cleveland, Ohio, and Quinton James Broussard, 25, of Carrollton, Texas. The former basketball players charged are Keith Junior Triplett, 29, of Toledo; Anton Du'ane Currie, 25, of Okemos, Mich., and Kashif Lashon Payne, 24, of Chester, Pa.

The Michigan men charged in the federal indictment are Manni, 52, of Sterling Heights, Mich., and Mitchell Edward Karam, 76, of Troy, Mich.

The U.S. attorney's office will work with the lawyers of those indicted to encourage them to turn themselves in to authorities within the next week, said Gina Balaya, a spokesman with the office.

According to the 30-page indictment, Manni and Mr. Karam paid money and other things of value between December, 2004, and December, 2006, to the UT football and basketball players to influence the outcome of games. The men would then bet on those games.

Manni and Mr. Karam wagered about $407,500 on UT basketball games from November, 2005, to December, 2006, each of them detailed in the court documents.